Heaven Needed an Angel
by seijid
Summary: (Updated: 5-26) When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope. Character Death, Angst
1. Prologue

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **FAKE is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**A/N:** I am going with Chestnut brown hair for Ryo and very dark brown for Dee, which I believe is the hair coloring Matoh intended for those two, according to the stats I have seen on them. I am unsure about Ted, so I'm making him a redhead. Also, since no last name is ever given for Ted, I have given him one, Ted Conway.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
Prologue  
**By SeijiD 

"D-Dee, I thought you might like something to eat." Ryo carried the tray into the bedroom and sat it down on the bed. "If you can manage it, you really should try to eat a little something." The chestnut haired man winced when his lover turned away from the window to look at him. Dee's eyes were red and swollen, his face was pale and when Dee spoke his voice held none of the strength Ryo had grown so accustomed to.

"Thanks but I'm not hungry right now. Maybe later, alright?" It was clear that the tragic events of the past week had taken their toll on the tough detective, in many ways. What Ryo saw before him was a man who seemed so lost that it almost made him want to cry as well.

"Dee, you've barely eaten a thing all week. At this rate you're going to make yourself sick. Please try to eat or you'll wind up in the hospital before you know it." Concerned about his lover's health and state of mind, Ryo knew that he had to do whatever it took to snap the younger man out of the funk he was in before it was too late.

"Ryo, don't lecture me okay? I really don't need that right now." Dee held up his hand to halt his lover's forward motion toward him. "Don't..." Turning his head back to the window, Dee closed his eyes and sighed.

"Dee..." Ryo froze in his spot and watched his lover. He knew that it was futile to argue with Dee, especially when his lover was like this.

"Just leave me alone. I really don't want any company at the moment. I'm sorry but I just want to be alone right now." From where he sat, Dee could see Ryo's reflection in window and how his body seemed to stiffen suddenly. He hated hurting Ryo in this way but at that precise moment, he just didn't care. "Please Ryo... Go away." The request was made without any emotions whatsoever, making it even harder for Ryo to hear.

"Alright, I'll leave you alone... For now." Ryo spoke softly. "You know she wouldn't want you doing this to yourself. She'd want you to move on and not waste away mourning her death." Turning to leave, Ryo glanced back over his shoulder at Dee, wishing there was more he could do to ease his lover's sorrow. "Try to eat, okay? That's all I ask." He left without saying another word, closing the door behind him as he stepped out into the hallway. Ryo knew that if he said anything else it would only make matters worse for both of them.

Ryo stood outside the bedroom door and listened as the muffled sobs from within the room reached his ears. Dee's tears never failed to tear Ryo's heart to shreds, especially since they were so rare. Dee usually hid such emotions from him, afraid to let go of his 'tough guy' reputation and despite being lovers for over five years, Dee still refused to let the chestnut haired man see him cry.

The only time Dee had let his guard down was that night at the hospital. He had been too overcome with grief over her passing to care who saw him breakdown. Still, even though Ryo had been allowed to witness his lover in a moment of weakness, the tears Dee had cried were silent ones. Even in his weakest hour he had held onto a large part of his dignity, refusing to allow the full impact of his sorrow to be seen by anyone.

Wiping his own tears away, Ryo wanted nothing more than to rush back into the bedroom and hold his lover close. He wanted to hear those tears and share their grief but he knew Dee wouldn't let him, no matter how badly Ryo wanted it or Dee needed it.

Taking a deep breath, Ryo finally moved away from the door and the sound of his lover's pain. He paused briefly at the door to Bikky's room, listening for any sounds that would indicate that his young charge was still awake.

'_At least you're able to sleep tonight_.'

Laying his hand flat against the door, Ryo stared at the painted surface for a moment before moving on. The older detective then began his nightly ritual. It was a ritual he had started on the night his lover's world was torn apart. On that night a cloud of sorrow had settled in over them and now Ryo was wondering if happiness would ever return to their lives.

Walking into the kitchen, Ryo turned on the teakettle before slumping down into a chair. Looking to the ceiling, he wondered if she knew how much her death was affecting them all, especially Dee.

'_If you can reach him please do it because I don't think I can. I've tried, I really have but he won't let me get close enough. I can't do this alone. I need your help_.'

Dee had waited until he was alone once again before he allowed his tears back out. He let them fall even though he knew that the man he loved was standing on the other side of the closed door, just as he did every night for the past week.

'_I know he's right. She wouldn't want me mourning her like this. I can't help it though. It's my fault that she's gone in the first place. If I hadn't have been so damn selfish... If I had just gone to see her like she had asked me to then maybe she would still be alive and I wouldn't be missing her so much. I may not have been the one who killed her but my hands are still stained with her blood._'

Lowering his head, Dee found himself overcome with grief once again. The guilt that had settled into his heart was just too heavy to keep inside. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me... I'm so sorry." Dee covered his face with his hands and cried.

She was gone and nothing he did or said was going to change that. He had failed her and for that very reason he could never forgive himself.

**To Be Continued **


	2. Back to the Beginning

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter One  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel**  
**Chapter One**  
Back to the Beginning  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

"Dee, I thought that you were supposed to stop by the orphanage to see Mother Lane after dinner?" Ryo asked as he looked up from his laptop when Dee had walked into the living room and flopped down onto the sofa.

"I was but I'm so damn tired. We just pulled a double shift for crying out loud, not to mention, we've been working our tails off these past two weeks on this damn case. I'm too brain dead to deal with one of The Penguin's so-called talks tonight." Dee shielded his eyes with his forearm when the light glared into them.

"But you made a promise, Dee. You never break your promises with Mother Lane no matter how tired you are. Why now?" Ryo sighed as he finished saving his work before shutting his laptop down. Turning in the seat at the small computer desk, he watched his lover, who was lying on the couch. Ryo was still in awe of the strong and handsome man he had fallen so deeply in love with and despite the current situation, he couldn't help but smile as his eyes drank in Dee's long and lean form.

"Ryo, I don't need you nagging me right now." Groaning, Dee peeked over at his lover to see that a frown was now staring back at him. "Dammit Ryo don't do that! You know as well as I do that she's only going to lecture me on the virtues of attending Mass and Confession with some regularity. It'll be the same lecture she gave to me when I had stopped by the other day during lunch.

"I am not nagging you. At least that wasn't my intention." Ryo shook his head as he stood and walked over to the sofa. "If you're not going to stop by then at least call her and let her know."

"Oh no! Forget that idea!" Dee sat up quickly and glared at Ryo. "If I call her then she's only going to put me on a guilt trip for not coming by. If she does that then I'll feel obligated to go see her and then I'll wind up spending the next hour or so listening to her preach about how important it is that I practice my faith in the way I was brought up to do. I'll be so henpecked that I'll wind up going to Mass and Confession for the next month, which is exactly what she wants." Dee combed his fingers through his hair and sighed. "It's not that I don't like going, it's just that I have other things I'd rather do with my free time. Like spending it here with you."

Ryo couldn't help but chuckle over Dee's rather animated speech. He was about to tell him to call anyway when the phone's ring stopped him. Crossing back across the room, he grabbed the phone before the answering machine had a chance to pick up.

"Hello, Maclean-Latener residence, Ryo speaking." He had to smile to himself over the greeting. It was still taking him some time to get used to the fact that he and Dee were now living together as couple in the larger apartment Dee had remodeled but he 'was' getting there, slowly. "Good evening, Mother Lane..." His eyes went wide as saucers when Dee's arms suddenly shot up into the air and began to flail around frantically. The older man watched as his lover began a game of charades, sending him a message that Ryo tried his best to figure out.

'_Why can't he just say it or write it down? Better yet, why doesn't he just take the phone, talk to her and get it over with?_'

"Yes he is here but... He's in the shower at the moment." Ryo rolled his eyes as Dee acted out his message. "Okay, I'll tell him just as soon as he's through... Yes and you have a good night too... I will, thank you, Mother... Bye now." Ryo ended the conversation and hung up the phone before turning to glare at Dee who sat down hard on the sofa and gave Ryo a goofy grin.

"Thank you, Baby. I guess that I owe you one." Dee sighed in relief though he still had one mad lover to deal with.

"Dee that was mean! It was made worse by the fact that you forced me to lie to her for you! When you say that you owe me, you owe me big, Baby!" Ryo tried his best to act as though he were angry at Dee but he just couldn't do it, no matter how hard he tried.

"I'm sorry... I promise I will make it up to you. Forgive me, please?" Dee held out his hand, beckoning his lover to come to him. When Ryo got close enough, Dee pulled the chestnut haired man down onto his lap, giving Ryo his best sad puppy dog look.

"You know I really hate it when you look at me like that." Ryo wrapped his arms around Dee's neck and smiled. "How can I not forgive you? I'm too much of a sucker for that look."

"That's what I was counting on." Dee laughed when Ryo swatted at his shoulder. "I am sorry though. It's just that we haven't had a lot of time to be alone lately and over the past two weeks when we have been alone, we've been too freaking tired to do anything but sleep. I just wanted to spend this evening with you while I'm still awake enough to enjoy it." Dee started kissing Ryo's neck, knowing how much Ryo loved it when he did that.

"I know, Dee. We're all putting in long hours over this new case. We all want to do whatever we can to close it as soon as possible. The sooner we catch this monster and get him off the streets, the better we will all feel. I also know that you want that more than anyone." Ryo rested his head on Dee's shoulder, content with being held in his lover's arms.

"I just hope that we can get a break in the case soon and find that little boy. I don't think any one of us can handle another crime scene involving the DB of a child. This bastard is getting more and more vicious each time out." Dee closed his eyes and held Ryo tighter. "I still can't get the images out of my head and I know you can't either. They won't go away until we get that prick off the streets and behind bars."

"Let's hope that the leads JJ and Drake are following up on pan out. I thought they sounded pretty solid when Drake told us about them. Anyway, they said they would call if they find out anything substantial so we'll just have to hope for the best." Ryo shifted himself so that he was now straddling Dee's thighs, allowing him to face his lover and bring more bodily contact into play. "Until then, let's just relax and enjoy our night off, alright? If anything does come up, we just may find ourselves back at work before this night is over, so let's not waste anymore of it."

Dee smiled at Ryo, catching the sparkle that flashed through his lover's eyes. "So what should we do with our night off? Got any good suggestions?" Dee grinned and then gasped when Ryo squirmed in his lap, letting him know just what he had in mind. "I think that answers my question rather nicely." Not one to let such a perfect opportunity pass him by, Dee pushed Ryo off his lap and onto the couch where he quickly pinned the older man down. "Is my lover in a playful mood or just being a tease?"

"I'm not sure exactly. I guess you'll have to look at the clues and decide for yourself, Detective." Ryo grinned up at Dee. The darker brunette still managed to take his breath away with just a mere look. "Wanna know what clues I see?" Ryo laughed when Dee shook his head rapidly.

"I see that we have the place to ourselves. I see that I'm not trying to push you off of me. I feel that I'm hard. I can feel that you're hard as well. I also know for a fact that it's been almost two weeks since we last made love, so we're quite overdue." Ryo blushed slightly.

"Even though we've been together for five years now you still blush when talking about sex and damn if it isn't one of the sexiest things you do." Dee leaned down to kiss Ryo and then moaned when the man beneath him reached around and thrust his hands down the back of Dee's slacks. "I see another clue... I see that my sexy minx is a little eager to get this show on the road."

"And I think you talk way too much." Ryo smirked before capturing his lover's lips in a mind numbing kiss that reduced Dee to a series of moans. Sure he had been slightly upset that Dee had not kept his promise to Mother Lane but he couldn't deny the fact that a part of him was actually glad that Dee didn't go. Two weeks of wanting each other but being too tired to do anything about it had finally taken its toll on him and Ryo wasn't about to let this chance get by, no matter what.

X--X--X

"God that was incredible!" Dee sighed happily as Ryo snuggled up against him.

"Was it as good for you as it was for me?" Ryo chuckled only to laugh harder when Dee just stared at him.

"What the hell has gotten into you tonight?" Dee blinked in confusion over his lover's silly behavior.

"I do believe that would be you, just a few a minutes ago." Dark eyes went wide with amusement before Ryo buried his face into Dee's shoulder and giggled.

"You're such a nut!" Growling, Dee pulled on Ryo so that his lover was now lying on top of him. "Want to go again, my insane lover? You can even be on top this time." Dee ground his hips against Ryo's, causing both men to moan.

"I-I... I think I can rise to the occasion." Ryo arched his back and rubbed against Dee. He smiled when Dee's eyes slipped closed and another moan escaped the younger man's lips. It was all he had to see and hear before he gave in to his body's needs.

X--X--X

"Is she going to be okay?" Ted asked as he watched the paramedics place the elderly woman onto a backboard and then the stretcher.

"She's in pretty bad shape so it's hard to say. I can tell you just from what I have seen of her injuries thus far that she has been beaten pretty extensively about the head. There are also several stab wounds to the abdomen and..." He stopped when Ted put his hand up and appeared to have gone pale.

"Did you find any ID on her?" Ted swallowed hard, hoping that if they did, it wouldn't be who he thought it was.

"No." The paramedic replied as they walked toward the ambulance.

"Well I think I may know who she is. I mean, it's hard to tell by the extensive bruising about her face but I'm almost certain that I know her." Ted looked away from the battered and bruised body as he gave the paramedics what little information he had on the woman.

"Thanks, Detective. I'll make sure that they confirm this at the hospital." The man gave Ted a sympathetic look. "I guess you're hoping that you're wrong about her identity, huh?"

"Sort of... Well, yeah I am." Ted stepped back as the ambulance doors swung closed. As he stood there watching the vehicle pull away he silently prayed that his suspicions were wrong.

'_Good lord, if that is her, this could kill Dee_.'

** To Be Continued **


	3. The Call

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Two  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **FAKE is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
****Chapter Two  
** The Call  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

"Ryo..." A voice, groggy with sleep, called out as the phone began to ring. In a futile attempt to drown out the annoying sound, Dee ducked his head under his pillow. "Come on and answer that will ya?" Dee moaned before he realized that the other sound he heard was that of the shower running, which meant Ryo couldn't answer the phone even if he wanted to. That meant he would have to answer it, whether he liked it or not.

Growling as he reached blindly for the offending device, Dee found himself cursing loudly when it suddenly stopped ringing just as his fingers touched the receiver. "Now 'that' really pisses me off!" Grumbling, Dee pulled the blankets up over his head and tried to get comfortable once again. If Ryo was in the shower, considering the older man always got up a half hour before he had to, Dee figured that he had at least another solid hour of sleep left before he too would have to get up.

"Damn these long hours and double shifts! They totally suck!" He hissed and then sighed just as the phone began ringing again. This time though, he managed to reach it before it could stop. Of course he wasn't sure if he was thrilled or irritated over that accomplishment.

"Yo, Latener here!" He snapped into the receiver. "This had better be an emergency or I'm going to get just a little angry here." The tone of Dee's voice left little doubt in the caller's mind that the detective was very serious about his statement.

X--X--X

"Dee, was that the phone I had heard ringing earlier?" Ryo asked as he emerged from the bathroom that adjoined their master bedroom. "Dee, was that the phone?" He asked again as he headed into the large walk-in closet to grab his clothes. When he got no response, Ryo stepped out of the closet to glance at his lover and finally saw that Dee was sitting on the edge of the bed and looking very pale.

"Dee, what's wrong?" Ryo dropped the towel he had around his waist before pulling on a pair of boxer-briefs though his eyes remained fixed on his lover. Dee still hadn't said a word, though he was clutching the phone tightly and staring down at it. It was obvious by the sound coming from the phone that call had ended some time ago, yet Dee had not hung it up. "Dee, what happened?" Concerned now, Ryo quickly made his way to his lover's side. Reaching down, he attempted to pull the phone from Dee's hand, which finally got the dark brunette's attention.

"Ryo... I-I..." Dee managed to get out before his throat went dry. When Dee tilted his head up, Ryo noticed that tears had settled into his lover's green eyes. "I need... I need to go to the hospital."

"Huh? Why?" Ryo asked. The words were said so quietly that Ryo was having a hard time understanding Dee. "Dee, I can't understand what you're saying. What happened? Who was that on the phone?" Dee suddenly gasped and stood up so quickly that he nearly knocked Ryo onto the floor.

"I need to go to the hospital!" The younger detective replied and started to search for something to wear. "Dammit, where are my clothes!" He cursed even louder when he stubbed his toe on the leg of the chair as he scrambled to find something to wear.

"Dee, calm down and tell me what's going on?" Ryo got up and quickly grabbed Dee's wrist in order to gain Dee's attention. He had never seen his partner so frazzled as he was now and it was starting to worry him. "Talk to me, dammit!"

"Let go of me!" Dee yanked on his arm.

"I will after you tell me why you need to go to the hospital!" Ryo held his ground, gripping his lover's wrist even tighter. "Who's hurt? Hell, who was on the phone? Dee, I don't know what's going on! You need to tell me!"

"I... She... The Penguin... I need to... Let go of me!" Dee glared at the chestnut-haired man.

"You mean Mother Lane?" Ryo blinked in confusion. "What happened to Mother? Dee, you're making no sense. Please settle down and tell me what happened."

"S-She's in the hospital. S-Some one... Someone jumped her two blocks from the orphanage. Let me go! I need to go to her now!" Dee finally pulled his arm free and started searching for some clothes to wear. He was running on pure adrenaline and little else.

"Good lord! How bad?" Ryo stood there as a chill ran down the length of his spine. He knew how important the nun was to Dee and now understood why his lover was so out of it.

"She's... She's in bad shape... Oh god... Oh god!" Dee covered his mouth and Ryo thought for sure that his partner was about to get sick.

"Dee, just try to calm down. You're about to lose it." Ryo softened his voice as he moved closer to Dee, but froze in his place when the other man backed away.

"I have to go... I have to go to her." Dee's hands were shaking as his eyes darted wildly around the room. "She needs me... I have to go..."

"Dee, please settle down." Ryo was shaking as well though he knew he had to stay in control for Dee's sake. "I'll drive you over there, okay? Go get a shower while I put a call into work to let them know what's up. Maybe I can get some info from the police reports as well." Ryo tried desperately to take control of the situation and hopefully get his lover calmed down.

"I can drive myself! I'm not a baby!" Dee shouted as he grabbed some clothes, fully intent on skipping the shower just to save on time. "I'm wasting time here already."

"Listen to me, Dee!" Ryo raised his voice in order to snap his lover out of his daze. "You are in no shape to drive. I'll drive, but first go grab a shower and clear your head!"

"I said I could handle this, Ryo!" Dee replied back before he started to get dressed.

"I doubt that. You're nearly hysterical, as it is Dee. Please go grab a damn shower and calm the hell down! You won't do Mother any good as long as you're like this! Please listen to me." Ryo stopped Dee from getting dressed and forced the darker brunette to look at him. "Will you just stop and take a look at yourself for a minute? Dee, you're not thinking straight right now, you're bordering on hysterical and unless you calm down you'll lose it altogether. Like I said, I'll call work and then I'll call the hospital. I'll try to get an update on Mother Lane's condition. In the meantime, you go get a shower and try to settle yourself down." When Dee looked away, Ryo took Dee by the shoulders and forced his lover to look at him. "Please? Do it for her, not me."

Dee nodded though he wasn't too happy with his lover at the moment. As he headed for the bathroom, Dee turned and glared at the older detective. "Fine, we'll do things your way for now! But I'm warning you, Ryo... If she dies before we get there, I will 'never' forgive you!" Dee hissed at his lover before walking into the bathroom and slamming the door behind him.

Ryo could only stand there, stunned by his lover's remark. It was at that moment that Ryo started to realize just how serious the situation really was and just how bad off Mother Lane had to be.

'_Please, for Dee's sake, let her be okay. Don't hurt him... Please don't hurt him._'

X--X--X

Stepping off the elevators, the two men headed down the hallway to ICU where Ryo caught sight of Ted and Marty coming out of the waiting room. Turning to his lover, Ryo laid his hand on the younger man's arm. "Dee, why don't you go check on Mother Lane's status and I'll join you in a few, okay?"

"O-Okay..." Dee replied. He was still in shock despite everything Ryo had tried to do to ease his lover's troubled mind. Ryo was just thankful that Dee had agreed to his current suggestion since Ryo needed to speak with Ted and Marty alone and he didn't want Dee hearing any of it.

"She'll be all right, Dee. Just try to hang in there." Ryo gave Dee's arm a gentle squeeze though what he really wanted to do was to hold his lover and comfort him. "I'll join you just as soon as I am finished, alright?" Dee nodded and Ryo watched as his partner headed into the waiting room.

Once Ryo was sure that Dee was safely inside the room and out of earshot, he headed further down the hall where his two colleagues now stood as they jotted notes down in their books.

"Ted, Marty, what's the latest?" Ryo asked as he approached the two men. Ryo had already gotten a preliminary report on what had gone down but he wanted to get more details if there were any.

"Hey Ryo." Ted looked up and then frowned. "There's no change in her condition as of ten minutes ago if that's what you're asking." The redhead replied and then sighed. "How's Dee?"

"He's a mess, which is to be expected. This is Mother Lane we're talking about and she's as close to a real mother as Dee's ever had. He adores her immensely so naturally he's going to lose it to some degree though with Dee it's never as simple as that. There's no middle ground with him when it comes to people he cares about. He's either very docile or in total shock when something does occur." Ryo leaned against the wall, looking emotionally drained as the other two nodded in agreement. "Dee was nearly hysterical when we got the news, though I did manage to calm him down a little. I'm still worried about him anyway. He could lose it again at any given moment."

"Well, I just hope that he doesn't go after the person who did this, like he did that last time." Ted looked at Ryo. "I remember you and Drake talking about that last incident and how Dee went ballistic on the dude who had bombed the orphanage and hurt the nun."

"Trust me, I'm well aware of that situation and the fact that it could happen again." Ryo reached up and touched his cheek. There was still a faint scar there from the time when Dee had fired his gun at the suspect in that case only to graze Ryo's cheek with the bullet. "I'll make sure that Dee stays in control this time. I'm not sure how I'll do it, but I have to try none the less."

"Good luck, man." Ted sighed heavily and then looked down at his notepad causing him to shake his head as he read over his notes. "Jesus Ryo, who the hell would do this to an elderly woman and a nun at that?"

Ted looked down at his notepad and read off what he knew thus far, knowing Ryo would want to know. "Mother Lane had gone to drop off a bag of clothes to a family who had been burned out of their home and it was when she was heading back to the orphanage that she was attacked. The suspect pulled her into an alleyway, assaulted and beat her then stabbed her before leaving here there for dead. You already know about her injuries so I won't repeat them. It's hard enough hearing them just once. It's a miracle that someone had decided to take a short cut through the alleyway and found her. According to the first officer on the scene, the person who called it in stayed with her and tried to keep her as comfortable as possible."

"That's good to know. At least there are still some good people out there yet." Ryo sighed.

"Shit, talk about your sick and twisted bastards though! This dude goes well beyond that description." Marty spoke up and then shook his head as well. "I mean, it's hard enough dealing with rape crimes as it were, but when it's done against someone like her... It's just so wrong. So very wrong."

"I agree Marty." Ryo looked at the larger and taller man who didn't seem so tough at the moment. It was obvious that this had affected him a great deal. "My guess is that whomever did this is someone who finds it arousing to desecrate and taint someone they most likely see as being pure. Judging by what I've been told concerning the trace evidence found on her and her injuries, he obviously had a great deal of rage in him." Ryo shuddered over the whole thought. "It makes me wonder if our suspect may have been traumatized by someone he saw as pure at one time, possibly someone from the religious sect or someone he saw as holy and now he's lashing out over what may have happened to him."

"Do you think he may strike again? Maybe whenever his inner rage gets the better of him?" Ted blanched at the thought of having more cases like this one, especially when Ryo nodded. "We could possibly be looking at a serial rapist then."

"I'm not sure but most rapists continue until they either find no need to rape or get caught." Ryo shook his head. "I get this feeling that this just wasn't a once and done thing though. Do me a favor and run all of this by the city's profiler, okay? I'm curious to see what she will have to say about this. You may also want to check with the Sex Crimes Unit and see if they have any cases similar to this one either ongoing or past cases that have gone cold. You may also want to look into prior victims of a Sex Crime involving religious figures."

"Sounds like a good idea though that's a lot of ground to cover. Marty and I will check into it when we get back to the precinct. We may have to get more help on this too. I'll see if we can work with someone from the Sex Crimes Unit on this." Ted jotted down a few notes and then looked up at Ryo. "I meant to ask you this earlier. How much does Dee know about what happened?"

"He knows just the basics and for now I'd like to keep it that way." Ryo lowered his voice when he caught sight of Dee and a priest heading toward Mother Lane's room. "I have already spoken with her doctor and have asked him to keep certain information away from Dee for the time being. I realize that he'll have to be told eventually, but right now and given his current state of mind, I don't think he would be able to handle knowing that she was raped."

"I agree. It's going to be rough on you just keeping him from going berserk if she doesn't make it." Marty sighed heavily. Ryo nodded, knowing that the larger detective was right. "I guess that for now we have to hope that she's strong enough to pull through this. Last time we checked they had her listed as being in grave condition and weren't very optimistic on her recovering from her injuries."

"I know. The doctor I spoke with this morning said that she's got some bleeding in her brain, which has them very concerned about. Even though she's been a good health, her age is still a factor, which is why they are waiting until she's more stable before taking her into surgery." Ryo closed his eyes as he tried to keep his emotions from breaking free. Right now he couldn't afford to lose it, not when Dee needed him to be the stronger one of the two.

"Listen, I may not be all that religious even if I do break down and go to church every once in a while, but I'll be praying for her recovery... and for Dee as well." Ted saw that Ryo was fighting to hold it together and so he tried in his own way to help ease his friend's sorrow. "She seems like a very strong woman, Ryo. She's got that, you two and her faith on her side, so try to hang in there, alright?"

"I will, thanks Ted." Opening his eyes, Ryo pushed himself away from the wall. "Keep me posted on the investigation will ya? In the meantime, I'm going to go check in on Dee and Mother Lane. Hopefully, we'll get some good news soon."

"Will do Ryo." Marty clapped the chestnut haired man on the back. "Before you go though I wanted to ask you about the case you, Dee, JJ and Drake are working on. How's it going? I heard there might be a break in it so I was curious for an update."

"It's moving forward. I just spoke with JJ this morning and someone phoned in a tip during the night that someone matching our suspect's basic description was seen leaving a storage shed facility last night. JJ and Drake heading over there now to check on it. Without any probable cause they'll most likely need a warrant to get the shed opened though. If that's the case then it may not be until tonight before we know if there's anything there we can use or that could lead us to this jerk." Ryo explained as he tried to recall his conversation with the shorter detective, considering how chaotic the morning had been. "They said they'd call if they found out anything substantial so it's a way and see thing for now."

"Well hey, good luck with it." Ted gave Ryo a weak smile. "You and Dee just worry about yourselves and Mother Lane for now, okay? Marty and I can step in to assist Drake and JJ if they should need it."

"Thanks guys, I appreciate it." Ryo smiled back and then glanced over at the room that Dee had disappeared into. "I'll check in later on but in the meantime call me if something comes up and you need help."

"Will do. Now stop worrying about everything else and go see your partner. We'll get to work on getting this jerk so he can't do this again." Marty remarked and Ted nodded in agreement.

"All right then. I'll see you two later. Good luck." Ryo nodded to the two men before he headed toward Mother Lane's room. He stopped just outside the door in order to take a few deep breaths and ready himself for whatever lay within. He know that the next few hours would be hell on them all and just hoped that Dee would be strong enough able to handle whatever may come their way.

'_If he's not strong enough then we may have a major problem on our hands. Dee loves her so much and she has always been his rock. If he loses her he may not be able to handle it. She has to live, for his sake._'

** To Be Continued**


	4. Father Cardenas

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Three  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel**  
**Chapter Three**  
Father Cardenas  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

Ryo stepped into the room and stood quietly watching, as Dee along with the priest, knelt by Mother Lane's bed and prayed. It was with a heavy heart that he listened to the words tumbling from his partner's lips while being spoken in a voice that was filled with grief. From his spot, Ryo could see the Rosary beads that Dee clutched tightly in his hands, rubbing his thumb over a single bead before allowing it to move to the next.

Even if the words they prayed were whispered Ryo was still somewhat familiar with them and found himself silently mouthing along with the two men. Though his mother was Japanese and practiced Buddhism, his father was of Irish decent and had been raised as a Catholic, thus Ryo grew up exposed to both faiths. His parents didn't want to push either religion onto their son and so he was allowed to decide for himself, which felt right for him. In the end, Ryo leaned more toward Buddhism since it seemed to be more in synch with his own thinking and philosophies.

'_There are some days, like today, when I wish that you two were still here with me. I could really use your advice right about now_.'

"Ryo...?" Blinking, Ryo jumped at the sound of his name as it broke him away from his thoughts. "Ryo, I want to introduce you to Father Cardenas. He serves Holy Rosary, the church I grew up attending." Dee's voice was hoarse as he looked over at the ebony haired priest, who stood beside him and smiled warmly.

"Oh... Forgive me for spacing out." Ryo blushed madly as he extended his hand out. "Hello Father. I'm please to finally make your acquaintance. Dee and Mother Lane have mentioned you many times. Fondly, of course."

"It's good to finally meet you as well, Randy. I just wish that it could have been under more pleasant circumstances." Father Cardenas shook Ryo's hand, watching with concern as Dee walked back over to Mother Lane's bed before he turned to Ryo. "Whatever you do, stay close by him. He's going to need your strength and love more than ever during this difficult time."

"I fully plan to, Father." Ryo's eyes moved to where his lover stood and he frowned. Dee seemed so lost at the moment. It really hurt Ryo to see Dee like he was and his heart went out to his partner immediately. Turning his attention back to the man in front of him, Ryo sighed heavily. "May I speak with you privately, Father? It's very important."

"Sure. Why don't we go out into the hallway then?" Father Cardenas motioned toward the door with his hand. Ryo nodded and glanced at Dee quickly before opening the door and stepping out of the room with the priest.

"What's troubling you my son?" Father Cardenas clasped his hands in front of himself as they walked down to the end of the hallway and stood by a large window.

"I assume that you have been told about everything that has happened to Mother Lane, correct?" Ryo fidgeted nervously as he spoke. He hated talking about such things to begin with and here he was discussing them with a man of the cloth.

"If you are inquiring as to whether I am aware that Maria was sexually assaulted, then the answer is yes, I am aware of it." Father Cardenas noticed Ryo's nervousness and so he reached out to lightly touch the other man's arm. "It's okay to speak as candidly as you must. I assure you, I will not be shocked, nor will you offend me."

"All right, I will try." Ryo relaxed a little, though he did find himself looking at the floor rather then at the priest. It helped that Father Cardenas was a very warm guy, who seemed easy to speak with. Even the sound of his voice, which was soft and soothing, seemed to put Ryo at ease. "Dee hasn't been told that Mother Lane was raped and I think that for now it's best if that information is kept quiet around him. I do have my reasons for it, Sir."

"Normally I would have an issue with keeping secrets from your partner but I feel that in this case you may be right in doing so. I know that Dee is very fond of Maria so knowing what happened may do more harm than good right now." Father Cardenas looked out the window and sighed before looking back at Ryo. "You truly love Dee, don't you?"

"Huh?" Ryo's head shot up over the priest's statement, who only smiled at the blush that tinted Ryo's cheeks.

"You needn't be so surprised, Randy. While I may be a priest and thus bound to the teachings of the Catholic Church, I am human and allowed to form my own opinions concerning the whole issue." Father Cardenas smiled again. "I am well aware of Dee's sexual preferences and have no problem with it, so please relax. I'm just relieved that he has found someone special and has settled down. If I recall correctly some of the things Mother Lane told me, Dee used to be a bit of a wild one in his younger days."

"Yes, I've heard that too. Thank you for understanding, Father." The chestnut haired man smiled a little. "To answer your question... Yes, I do love Dee. Very much so, in fact. That's why I want to protect him right now. Mother Lane is the only mother he has ever known and he respects her a great deal. If he knew what happened to her, I don't know what it would do to him."

"I have to agree. Dee and Maria do have a very special relationship." Father Cardenas gave Ryo a more serious glance. "It's for that reason that I worry as well. Should Maria pass on, I fear that Dee may have a difficult time with it."

"It seems as though we 'both' know Dee very well then." Ryo watched as the priest nodded before turning to look out the window once again. "Dee has already withdrawn into himself. He does it whenever something bothers him and he's hurting. He shuts me out completely at times and I just don't know what to do to help him when he's like that."

Father Cardenas sensed Ryo's pain and moved away from the window to go to the chestnut haired man. "Just continue to love him, Randy. As long as you're there for him, he'll know whom to turn to once he is ready to open up. He'll know because your love will show him the path."

"I wonder about that." Ryo sighed. "The last time Mother Lane was hurt Dee went out on his own to track down the suspect in the orphanage bombing despite being told to stay away. If... If she would... would die..." Ryo swallow hard, unable to speak the words. Over the years Mother Lane had become someone very special to him as well and now it was finally hitting him that he could lose her too.

"As hard as it is to face or accept, we all die eventually, Randy." Father Cardenas tried to offer comfort to Ryo in the only way he knew how, through his teachings and faith. "God may have a greater need for Mother Lane than we do and while her attack is hard to take, her death should be seen as our Father simply calling her home. We may mourn the passing of those we care about but we should remember to celebrate the lives they have lived."

"Good luck in getting Dee to see and understand that, Father." Ryo glanced back at the door of the room where his lover now kept vigil over the woman who raised him.

"I feel that Dee may be an exception to that rule." Father Cardenas ran a hand through his hair. "For the time being, all we can do is hope for the best and then deal with whatever comes along." Ryo nodded in agreement, knowing that the priest was right.

"Thank you, Father Cardenas. I really appreciate your advice and help." Ryo sighed and looked back at the room again.

"Go be with him, Randy. We can talk again later, if you like." Father Cardenas motioned toward the room. "He needs you and I think you need him just as badly."

"Thank you, Father." Ryo gave the priest a small smile before turning and heading back into the ICU room.

'_May god be with you both_.' Father Cardenas closed his eyes and prayed silently.

X--X--X

"JJ, over here! I found the kid!" Drake looked down at the listless form before checking for a pulse. "Thank god, he's still alive." The blond sighed in relief when he felt a heartbeat. "Get the EMTs in here now!"

"Is he alive?" JJ panted as he ran toward them, shocked to hear his partner call for medical assistance.

"Yeah but just barely." Drake looked up at his partner and into wide blue eyes. "We have a live one this time, JJ."

"Well let's hope that he stays that way. Maybe we'll get this bastard finally." JJ had to look away once his eyes adjusted to the darkened corner and he could see the condition their victim was in. "Jesus, he's so small!"

"Go on and get out of here. I'll stay with him." Drake ordered his partner, knowing how much this was affecting the man he loved. "JJ! Go on!" He nodded toward the exit.

"I-I'm sorry..." JJ said quietly before turning and running off while holding his hand over his mouth. He barely managed to make it outside and into the night air before he lost the contents of his stomach.

"JJ, I heard that he alive." Berkley quickly rushed over to where JJ stood though he kept his gaze on the building and not the smaller detective since he didn't want to make JJ feel uncomfortable.

"Y-Yes... Drake's with him." JJ wiped at his mouth and then stood up straight. "Sorry about this, Sir." He was embarrassed by the fact that not only did he get sick but that he had been caught and by his superior no less.

"There's no reason to apologize. We have all had a hard time dealing with this case, JJ." Berkley laid a hand on the detective's shoulder and gave it a tender squeeze. "Are you all right now?"

"I-I think so." JJ nodded and then stepped aside as the paramedics raced into the building. "Someone should call Ryo and inform him that we found the kid. He asked to be kept updated and I have a feeling that hearing some good news may go along way right now, considering what's going on with him and Dee at the moment."

"I'll do it. You just take it easy for a moment." Berkley waited with JJ until Drake emerged from the building.

"They'll be bringing him out shortly. I'll accompany them to the hospital to collect the evidence, Sir." Drake went to JJ's side and rubbed his partner's back tenderly. "I assume that the CS unit is on the way?"

"They just pulled up." Berkley motioned to the van that pulled into the parking lot of the storage unit facility. "If you want to stay with JJ, I'll have Marty or Ted go with the kid instead."

"I'm okay, Sir. Drake can go and I'll finish up here. I can manage, Sir." JJ quickly spoke up as he started to open his bulletproof vest. "I'll stay here and assist the CS unit. I want to make sure that no stone is left unturned, Sir."

"Very well then. I'll stay as well." Berkley frowned as the paramedics came out with the stretcher containing the small boy. "I'll take care of calling the parents and then Ryo. I want to see how the nun is doing anyway."

"Tell Dee and Ryo to not worry about this. We've got it covered on this end." Drake remarked before giving JJ a small smile and then dashing off to catch up with the paramedics.

"I hope that her condition has improved..." JJ spoke softly and followed Berkley over to his car. They had to wait until the CS unit did their walk through before they could re-enter and assist them so they used the lull to make the necessary phone calls. "Mother Lane is more than just some nun to Dee and if she doesn't make it..." His voice faded into the night air.

"So I have heard." Berkley sighed as he reached into his car and grabbed his cell phone.

'_Just as no parent should lose a child in such a tragic way, no child should lose their parent in that way either_.'

X--X--X

"Thank you, Sir. I'll inform Dee of the news just as soon as I get back inside." Ryo leaned against the building. It had been while he was sitting with Dee in Mother Lane's room that a nurse had notified Ryo about Berkley's call and so he had unwillingly left his lover's side to step outside and place a return call to his superior. "Please keep me updated on the boy's condition, if you can." He sighed as he tilted his head up to look at the dark sky. "There's been no change in her condition. Right now we're just hoping for the best... Understood... Yes, I will give Dee the message... Thank you, Sir... Goodnight to you too."

Ryo clicked off the phone before heading back into the building and toward the elevators that would lead him back to Dee and Mother Lane. When the steel gray doors opened on the correct floor, the chestnut haired man was met with chaos as nurses scattered about the floor and alarms sounded.

"What the...?" Ryo jumped aside as a nurse sped down the hall, pushing a cart in front of her that Ryo recognized immediately. His eyes followed the nurse and the crash cart while his heart hammered in his chest and he silently prayed that they would go past the room. His worst fears were soon realized though as the nurse and cart disappeared into Mother Lane's room, causing him to bolt down the hallway and toward the same room.

'_Oh god... No_!'

** To Be Continued**


	5. Time to Say Goodbye

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Four  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
****Chapter Four  
**Time to Say Goodbye  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

With his heart racing, Ryo rushed into the room to find Dee backed up against a wall and trembling. His green eyes stared at the bed in disbelief while nurse and doctors crowded around the nun, feverishly working on her.

"Dee, what happened?" Ryo quickly went to Dee's side and tried in vain to divert Dee's attention away from the bed and what was going on, especially when he saw the defibrillator paddles being pulled from the cart. "Dee...?"

"I-I... I d-don't know... I was just sitting there and holding her hand. S-She opened her eyes and tried to speak..." Dee's voice cracked and Ryo knew that his partner was trying not to cry, which made it hard for him to bear. "She asked me to... To pray with her. I know that she couldn't speak because of the tubes but I knew what she wanted... I just knew. It was just the way she looked at me... I had seen that look before." Covering his face with his hands, Dee fought against the sudden wave of emotions that were washing over him faster than he could process them.

Upon seeing how close to breaking down Dee had become, Ryo quickly put his arms around his lover and pulled him closer despite being in such a public space. Now wasn't the time to be concerned about what others thought. Dee needed him and that's all that mattered. "It's okay, Dee. I'm here for you. It's going to be okay, Love." Ryo struggled to keep his own feelings buried for the time being. He knew that what Dee needed the most was his strength and not his tears.

"S-She wanted her Rosary beads. I-I knew that because she looked down at mine. I got them for her and put them in her hands... She... She touched my hand and patted it. I knew that she was telling me to be strong. I knew that she didn't want me crying." As hard as Dee tried, the tears just wouldn't stay hidden any longer and they started to slide down over his cheeks. "Ryo, she... She raised her hand up toward the ceiling. S-She was telling me that she was... That he was calling her home. S-She's dying... Mother is dying!" The tears started coming fast and furious now, cascading down over olive skin to drip onto the black dress shirt that Dee was wearing.

"Dee, you can't know that for sure. She..." Ryo stopped when Dee started shaking his head rapidly.

"I do know Ryo. Mother was saying her goodbyes... She's leaving me..."

The words sent a chill down Ryo's spine and then the chaos around them came to a grinding halt, bathing the whole room in an eerie quiet. As though they were watching a movie in slow motion, both men let out a small gasp as the doctor spoke the words they had prayed they would never hear.

"Okay everyone; let's call it. Time of death is Twenty-One-Hundred hours." It was at that moment that Father Cardenas chose to step into the room and he froze when the words reached his ears. His eyes fell upon Ryo and Dee, who stood off to the side and he closed his eyes to pray.

"NO! Mother! NO!" Dee pushed Ryo out of the way and rushed over to the bed before he turned and glared at the doctor who had just pronounced her dead. "Don't you dare give up on her! Keep trying, dammit! Keep trying! She's strong! You need to try harder!" He screamed at the doctor who stood there, looking at him sympathetically. He had seen and heard this sort of thing many times before so it wasn't a shock to him.

"Why are you just standing there, dammit? Try again! Bring my mother back! She can't be gone... not yet!" Dee trembled as he reached out and grabbed the doctor by his coat. "I said, keep trying!"

As soon as Dee grabbed the doctor, Ryo and Father Cardenas quickly rushed over to tried to pry Dee away from the older man.

"Dee, calm down." While standing behind him, Ryo gently took Dee's arms and pulled them away as he wrapped his own around his lover and held Dee's arms against his partner's body. The doctor remained where he was despite Dee's outburst though he did appear to be slightly shaken.

'_He's probably seen this many times over though I seriously doubt that it gets any easier to witness._' Ryo thought to himself.

"I'm sorry, doctor Granger but Mother Lane is very special to Dee." Ryo continued to hold onto Dee, too afraid of what his partner might do should he relax his grip.

"I am very sorry for your loss but the patient's injuries were just too massive. Even if we had managed to bring her back I seriously doubt she would have survived for very long. There was nothing else we could do for her and I know that's hard to accept but I assure you I do not like losing a patient no matter how critical they are." This time the doctor did gasp when Dee broke free of Ryo's grip and once again latched onto his coat.

"That 'patient' as you call her, has a name, dammit! If you feel so damn badly then why can't you call her by her name?" Dee spat out the words as Ryo frantically tried to pry Dee away from the doctor. "Have you forgotten it? Let me refresh your memory then! Her name is Mother Maria Lane! Mother Lane! Got that?" Dee yelled when Ryo finally succeed in pulling Dee away and then put some distance between the two men.

"Dee, you need to calm down!" Ryo hissed when Dee started to struggle to get away. "Calm down!"

"Dee!" Father Cardenas's voice rang out and the priest approached both men. This is neither the time nor the place for such behavior. Mother Lane would not want you acting like this. I know it's hard to accept but accept it you must. She is gone. Mother Maria Lane has been called to her Father's side and we have to all accept that." The priest softened his voice as he rested a hand on Dee's shoulder and watched as Dee blinked several times in order to focus on him and his words. "Why don't you come with me and we'll pray for her safe journey? You must honor her in death just as you have always done while she was alive."

The fight in Dee seemed to die away and Ryo felt his lover relax enough to release him. Without saying anything, Dee allowed Father Cardenas to guide him over to the side of the bed where they both knelt down side by side. Grabbing his Rosary beads, Dee held it tightly and bowed his head, as he prayed, while silent tears ran down his cheeks.

Ryo could only stand there and watch, helpless to do anything that would alleviate the pain he knew Dee was feeling.

'_Why? Why are you hurting him like this_?'

Ryo covered his mouth with his hands as he backed up until he touched the wall. He knew that his own sorrow could never match what Dee was feeling; though his heart ached to see that he wasn't asked to share in his partner's grief. What frightened Ryo the most was the thought that Dee might never allow him to simply because Dee hated appearing weak around anyone, including him.

'_He's shutting me out again. I can already sense it. He's hurting and I can't do a damn thing about it. Don't pull away, Dee. Don't you dare leave me too. I need you just as much as you needed her_.'

X--X--X

Though the Mass and funeral were behind them, the sorrow of the loss still remained. It was very much apart of their lives and would be for some time to come. Ryo had never felt so alone as he did after that fateful night when Mother Lane had passed away. Dee had retreated into his own world despite Ryo's hopes that his lover would turn to him for comfort. Instead, Dee simply shut himself off to everyone, choosing to deal with his grief in his own way. Of course, Dee's way meant that Ryo was forced to stand on the outside, looking in, since Dee refused all attempts Ryo made at comforting him.

'_Why does he have to be so damn stubborn and prideful? I don't care if he shows his weaknesses to me. It won't change how I feel about him. Why can't he see that?_'

Ryo frowned as he walked into the busy precinct and headed straight for his office. He was hoping to make this appearance at work as short as possible and almost regretted even showing up. He didn't want to be away from Dee for very long, especially since Dee was in such a depressed state at the moment.

'_Maybe I should have just stayed at home and waited until tomorrow to check in? It's only been five days since her death and Dee still needs me there, not here_.'

"Yo, Ryo! Wait up!" The chestnut haired man was startled from his thoughts and turned to see Drake heading toward him. "I wanted to ask you about Dee. How's he doing?"

"Oh hi Drake." Ryo greeted his colleague who finally caught up with him. "Dee's been a real mess actually. I hated leaving him at home so I could come in here but I wanted to check up on how the case you two are handling, is going. I also wanted to see if there was anything new concerning Mother Lane's case." Ryo sighed, as he opened the door to the office and walked in with Drake right behind him. "I'm just relieved that so far Dee is listening to orders and staying away from the investigation into Mother Lane's murder. The Chief and Commissioner Rose threatened to strip Dee of his badge if he didn't obey orders."

"Well, I hope that he really does listen this time." Drake waited until they were inside Ryo's office and the door was closed before he handed the chestnut haired detective the file folder he had been carrying. "I thought you might want to see this. It's what we have thus far on this child rapist and killer."

"Thanks, Drake." Ryo took the folder and sat down at his desk. "I hope Dee listens too. The last thing Dee needs is another negative report placed in his jacket, considering he has enough of those as it were. That's one of the reasons why I came in to check on things. I didn't want Dee overhearing anything." Ryo sighed as he opened the file folder and started reading through the reports.

"Just to update you on the latest. The hospital called this morning and informed us that the little boy is finally awake and alert enough for us to speak with him. JJ and I are going to stop over there later to see if we can get anything from him that may be usable. We're just waiting for the parents to give us their permission to talk to him before we go. We don't want to put the little guy through anymore trauma than we have to, you know?" Drake pulled out a chair and sat down next at Dee's desk, shaking his head over how messy the desk was compared to Ryo's.

"Check with someone from the Sex Crimes Unit and see if they may have some advice on how best to go about interviewing the boy." Ryo looked over to see Drake nod before he went back to reading the reports. "According to this, it's a miracle that he's even alive yet alone awake and talking and so soon too. He must be quite a fighter." Ryo laid the folder down and looked at Drake again. "We should be thankful though. Up until now, all the Vics have been DBs, so either our suspect is getting sloppy, assumed the boy would die before he would be found, or we just got very lucky."

"I'd like to think that we got lucky." Drake sighed. "I just hope that we can get something out of the kid that we can use. Anything he can give us that will lead us right to this bastard will be great because enough is enough. Right now, all we have is a vague description of the guy and the name he gave for the storage shed, which is a fake."

"As if that's any surprise. At least the description was good enough for someone to call in and report that they may have seen him. Otherwise you wouldn't have found that little boy." Ryo picked up the file folder again and thumbed through it before he stopped and went pale. "Good god! Was there any place on this kid's body where they didn't find traces of semen?"

"I know it's really disgusting. Our suspect seems to have a big need to humiliate his victims and it appears to be getting worse each time out." Drake closed his eyes as he recalled the moment he had found the little boy. "It also seems as though the younger and more innocent they are, the more he does to them. It's almost as though he wants to taint them as much as possible. What makes it even more disgusting is that he placed a chain with a cross, around the little boy's neck. We checked with the parents and they had never seen it before. In fact they're Jewish."

Ryo's head shot up and he looked over at Drake. "Has the DNA report come back yet?"

"Just a prelim at the moment. The more extensive test will take a few more days to come in." Confused, Drake looked over at Ryo. "Why?"

"It's just a hunch I have." Ryo looked through the folder. "It's not in here. Where is that report?"

"I think JJ had it earlier and didn't get a chance to add it into the file folder. Let me go check his desk." Drake got up and hurried out of the office, curious as to where Ryo was going with his thoughts. Once he found what he was looking for, he headed back into the office and handed the paper to Ryo. "Here ya go."

"Thanks." Ryo looked it over and then sighed. "I need the DNA report from Mother Lane's case. Is either Ted or Marty around?"

"They headed out on a call. What are you looking for?" Drake asked.

"It's just a hunch and a long shot at that but Ted said that Mother Lane had a cross around her neck and according to the other nuns that worked with her, they didn't recall ever seeing it before. I'm beginning to suspect that the same person who is assaulting these little boys may have assaulted Mother Lane as well."

"Are you serious? I wonder why Ted never said anything?" Drake was very surprised by Ryo's statement.

"Maybe because he wasn't aware that your Vic had one on him too. There are other similarities if you look closer. In all cases the Vics were sodomized, with Mother Lane also being raped. All had been covered from head to foot in semen. All were beaten about the head before being stabbed and all the Vics were what you could classify as innocent or pure. Little boys and a nun. There are just too many similarities here." Ryo sighed as he looked over the reports Drake had given him. "He humiliates them as much as possible before killing them, which tells me that he has a lot of rage inside of him."

"Yeah but to go from little boys to a nun? Why the jump?" Drake felt his stomach churning as he listened to Ryo.

"I had told Ted I felt there was a chance that the suspect in Mother Lane's case may have been molested by someone of the religious sect and according to the profiler he spoke to, she seemed to think so as well. I'm wondering if the little boys are a representation himself and what may have been done to him." Ryo looked up at Drake, who seemed to have paled even more.

"And you think that the nun represented the source of his rage, which is why he may have made the jump and gone after her in the first place." Drake thought for sure that he was going to get sick when Ryo nodded. "Damn..."

"Listen, I hate to do this but I really need to get back home to Dee. Bikky and Cal are there right now but I would feel better if I were there, just in case anything happens. Dee is just too out of it and if he should lose it while I'm out..." Ryo's voice trailed off and he frowned.

"Hey, I understand so don't worry about it, man." Drake sighed heavily. "He's your first priority right now."

"Thanks. Would you have Ted call me as soon as he gets back in? Have him call my cell and not my home number. I don't want to risk Dee picking up." Ryo sat back in his chair and stretched out his legs.

"I will tell him as soon as he walks in. Damn, Ryo. I almost hope that you're wrong about all of this. To know that this dude may have gone after a nun just because he was angry at religious figures? Shit, it's hard enough to handle knowing this sick bastard is going after little boys as it were." Drake shook his head in disgust.

"Any sexual offense is hard to handle, be it against a kid, a woman, a man, or whomever. That's why it's important that we get these pricks off the streets as soon as we can." Ryo stood up after jotting down a few notes. "Fill Drake, Marty and JJ in on my suspicions, will ya? You may also want to run this by the Chief as well."

"I will do that. I'll also run it by the Commissioner too." Drake stood as well and followed Ryo out of the office.

"Thanks, Drake. I really do appreciate it and I'm sorry that I can't be of more help right now." Ryo stopped to glance at a board that listed who was working what shift and which cases before he continued on. "Just make sure that if anyone needs to reach me that they call my cell. We don't need another mistake like the last time."

"I hear you loud and clear on that one." Drake nodded and then sadly looked at the floor. "Would you tell Dee that we all miss seeing his ugly mug around here and that we all hope he comes back soon?"

"I will, Drake." Ryo nodded before leaving. His thoughts bounced from the case to Dee and back again almost giving him a headache. It was Dee who worried him the most though. His lover was falling deeper into a state of depression and Ryo feared what would happen if no one could pull him back from it.

'_Come back to me, love. Please come back to me_.'

** To Be Continued**


	6. Pain and Sorrow

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Five  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
****Chapter Five  
**Pain and Sorrow  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

Dee sat in the semi-darkened room, stunned and silent and still unable to believe what he knew to be true. She was gone, whether he wanted to believe it or not. He would never be able to turn to her for anything ever again. Some heartless bastard had selfishly robbed him of the only mother he ever known, leaving him alone without the one person he adored more than anything. Sure he had others to lean on now, but that didn't help ease the pain running through his heart or bring him the comfort he needed at the moment.

Even now, he could still hear the doctor pronouncing her death time and forever changing his life. Everything after that was a blur and seemed more like a bad dream that he just couldn't wake up from. Dee could only vaguely recall Father Cardenas leading him in prayer. He barely remembered looking over at Ryo, who was standing by the wall and crying softly. He really didn't remember Ryo bringing him home nor could he remember very much of the days that followed. Most of all, Dee couldn't remember the last time he had felt so much pain as he was feeling now. Losing his beloved Penguin was proving to be more than he could handle, he knew it, he just didn't know how to deal with it.

'_I miss you so much, Penguin. The day you died it felt as though a part of my heart died as well. It hurts so much and I can't get it to stop. I'm trying to be strong like you asked but I seemed to be failing at that as well. I can't seem to just move on and I can't find any comfort in the fact that you're in a better place, as Father Cardenas put it. None of those things are easing this wound in my heart. I failed to protect you and that's what hurts the most._'

Dee covered his face with his hands and cried quietly. He knew that Ryo was home and as much as his heart wanted to, he just couldn't bring himself to reaching out to his partner for comfort. Several times he had started to, but each time he did, Dee found himself pulling back again, unable to show his lover the grief now washing over his heart and soul.

'_I know he's worried about me and wants to help me but I just can't let go of this pain in front of him. I know that he's hurting too, I saw that the night you died. I also know that my inability to open up to him is hurting him even more but I just can't help it. I can't do it no matter how hard I try. I don't know how to be that open with anyone, especially Ryo._'

Dee was so used to dealing with his emotions in a private way that to show anything other than concern, worry or anger was just too difficult to do. To show more just made him appear weak, in his eyes and he vowed to never allow that, no matter what. Mother Lane had been the only one to see Dee in his weakest moments. She was the only one he could really trust with that part of himself. With her he felt safe to let his guard down, knowing she would never betray his trust.

Despite knowing that he truly loved Ryo and how important it was for their relationship for him to be open with his lover, Dee couldn't bring himself to leaving himself that open and vulnerable. When he really thought about it, Dee realized that he was afraid to open up that much.

'_If I would and Ryo's feelings for me would change because of it, I don't think I could handle that. I just can't risk having the last bits of my heart that no one owns but me, to be shattered apart. I know it's silly because Ryo loves me for me and nothing would ever change that. I know that yet I still fear showing him the part of me I keep hidden inside_.'

Lying down on the bed, Dee curled himself into a ball. As hard as he tried, he just couldn't get past this immense pain he felt. He also feared the anger that was slowly rising within him. The anger he felt for the man who had taken his Mother away from him. Dee knew that it would eat away at him until he exploded and he feared what would happen when it did.

The Penguin had been everything to him. The only mother he ever knew. She had always been there for him and supporting him even when she didn't always agree with his way of doing things. She had been the only one who ever truly understood him and believed in him.

'_Until Ryo came along, that is_.'

Even when he found himself wrestling with his sexuality, The Penguin stood by him, guided him and supported him, allowing him the chance to sort through his feeling until he knew what they meant. When he had decided that he was attracted to men and women she managed to look past her own conviction and beliefs to accept his lifestyle. After awhile she didn't care whether he was dating a man or a woman, just as long as he was happy. When he had told her that he had fallen deeply in love with Ryo, she had been so happy for him. And when he had told her that Ryo had finally admitted his love, she had cried.

The Penguin was his rock and his confidant. She was his strength when he was at his weakest and his number one cheering squad when he was at his best. Above all these things she was his mother but now she was gone and he was left feeling so lost and broken.

'_I can't do this without your strength. You're the reason I became the man I am today. It was your love and guidance that helped me to chose the right path. I miss you so much. I need you... Help me, Mother... Please help me_.'

Dee pulled one of the pillows closer to his body and buried his face into it as he sobbed. The pain was so great and he just couldn't see an end to it.

X--X--X

Ryo walked into the bedroom to find Dee curled up on the bed and apparently asleep. Quietly as he could, Ryo stripped out of his clothes before slipping into the bed next to his lover. He didn't even bother setting the alarm, knowing that he would be awakened in another hour or so anyway. It had become a routine and for now the chestnut haired man would have to let things go as they were.

'_Why won't you let me in, Dee? I love you and I want to help ease this pain you're feeling, if you'd just allow me to. I know I can't make it go away but together we can share the grief so you're not carrying it all alone. I do know what you're going through. I felt the same way the day I lost my mom and dad. Why can't you show me your sorrow? Why do you feel the need to hide it from me? Are you that insecure about the bonds we share? Is it that you still can't trust me with that part of yourself? I want to help you but I can't until you let me in. Please Dee..._'

Ryo pressed his forehead to Dee's back only to feel his lover move away. It was just like every other night since her death. Turning so that his back was to Dee, Ryo could finally allow his own tears to fall though he made sure to keep them silent. Dee had enough to deal with at the moment.

'_I don't know how to reach him and I'm afraid that the longer things stay as they are, the further he will pull away. I have to find a way to break through his wall before it's too late and I lose him to his own grief_.'

Until Dee was ready to come to him, all Ryo could do was to make sure that he was there to put the pieces back together when his lover finally did break. Ryo closed his eyes as he slowly drifted off into a light sleep, knowing that he would be waking up again shortly.

X--X--X

Dee waited until he was certain that Ryo was asleep before he slipped out of the bed and quietly headed into the kitchen where he grabbed two cans of beer. Walking into the living room, he sat down on the sofa and drew his knees up to his chest.

Once again the nightmares had come, robbing him of his sleep. As he had done every night since The Penguin's death, Dee sat in the darkened living room and drank until the alcohol allowed him to fall asleep. The first night he had to actually sneak out and buy some beer but after that, Ryo had started keeping the fridge stocked for some reason.

'_He's not dumb, Dee. He knows you sit out here and drink until you more or less pass out. How the hell do you think you wind up back in bed_?'

Dee finished off the two beers in record time and then went to the kitchen for more. This time he brought a whole six-pack in with him. At least he was able to forget for awhile. For a few hours he didn't have to imagine what his beloved Penguin had endured that night, and for a few hours he could actually let go of the pain.

X--X--X

Ryo lay there in the dark, watching the clock and waiting. He had heard Dee get up and leave the bedroom almost three hours ago. He knew where his lover was and that he was drowning his pain in alcohol.

'_I just wish he would come to me instead..._'

Rolling onto his back, Ryo looked up at the ceiling, which was illuminated by the lights from outside the window. He watched as the shadows paraded across the surface and helped to pass the time. It would be another hour at least, before he could go to Dee and bring him back to bed.

'_I'm hurting too, Dee. I want us to be like we were but I know that can't be. Not right now anyway. I just hope that you will find your way back to me because I'm so scared of what lies ahead if you don't_.'

Ryo waited until he felt that it was safe before he slipped out of bed and silently walked into the living room. Peeking around the corner and squinting in the dark, he could barely make out Dee's form as his lover half sat and half lay on the couch. The alcohol had done its job and Dee was sound asleep.

'_As bad as it sounds, at least he is able to get some rest without the nightmares that wake him every time he does try to sleep_.'

Ryo sighed softly as he walked over to Dee and carefully scooped his lover into his arms. Gently, he carried the younger man back into the bedroom where he lay him down. After covering Dee up and placing a kiss to his lover's cheek, Ryo went back out into the living room to clean up the empty beer cans.

Once he had everything back in its place, the chestnut haired man quietly entered the bedroom. Glancing at the clock, he saw that he had at least two and a half to three hours of sleep left before he would have to get up. Now, he set the alarm as he yawned and then slipped in under the blankets. At least with Dee in this drunken state he was able to hold his lover. Tenderly, Ryo pulled Dee closer and held him close, finding a little comfort in his lover's soft snore.

'_Sleep well, Dee. I love you_.'

** To Be Continued**


	7. The Truth Comes Out

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Six  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel**  
**Chapter Six**  
The Truth Comes Out  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

"Dee, are you sure you don't need anything else?" Ryo stood at the doorway to the bedroom and watched as Dee sat solemnly on the bed looking through a shoebox of old photographs. "Okay then, I guess I'll head on out." He sighed when Dee didn't respond to him, or acknowledge his presence, for that matter. "Cal and Bikky are here if you should change your mind and I'll stop by on my lunch break to see how things are going." After waiting a moment to see if Dee would say anything at all, Ryo started to turn away, though he almost felt like walking over to his lover and forcing the younger man to speak to him. "I love you, Dee." Ryo then headed into the kitchen where Bikky and Cal were sitting and eating breakfast.

"Don't worry Ryo, we'll look after him." Cal stood up and went over to the detective to give him a hug when she saw the sad look within dark eyes. "I'll even make sure that he eats something, whether he wants to or not." Ryo hugged Cal back and smiled. He was just relieved to have someone around who actually talked.

"Thanks, Princess. If either of you need me for anything call me on my cell since that will most likely be the fastest and easiest way to reach me." Ryo went over to the counter and poured some coffee into a travel mug before turning to look at Bikky, who appeared to be in deep thought, judging by the way the youth was staring at his plate of food. "Bik, I know that I haven't mentioned it or anything but I really do appreciate the fact that you have been going easy on Dee since Mother Lane's death."

"Yeah well the perv had better get back to normal soon because I'm starting to get bored." The platinum blond smirked. "I haven't had anyone to pick on in over a week and it's getting to me."

"I'm sure that you'll live, Bikky." Cal giggled as she loaded up the dishwasher. "Don't worry, I'll keep them inline, Ryo."

"Thank you, Milady." Ryo chuckled as he bowed to Cal. "I am going to try to get off duty as early as I can today but as you know I can't make any guarantees on that. Either way, I'll call you and let you know what's up, okay?"

"Jesus Ryo, will ya stop being such a worrywart? Cal and I have it covered so go bust some bad guys and let us handle things with Dee for a while." Bikky rolled his eyes when he looked over at his dad. He didn't want to admit that he was worried but he was. He was especially worried about Ryo at the moment. Bikky could see the dark circles that had formed under Ryo's eyes and he knew that his charge wasn't getting a lot of sleep. It was obvious to the youth that Ryo was expanding all of his energy on taking care of and worrying about Dee and little to none on himself.

'_That's so typical of him_.'

"Yes, Sir!" Ryo jokingly jumped to attention and gave Bikky a salute before he grabbed his jacket and coffee. "Call me if you..."

"If we need anything. We know!" Cal and Bikky said at the same time causing Ryo to laugh.

"Okay, okay... I get the hint. I'm going." The chestnut haired man shook his head and finally made his way out of the apartment, much to Cal and Bikky's relief.

"Finally!" Bikky sighed as he slumped down into his chair.

"He may seem okay on the outside but he's hurting on the inside." Cal frowned and Bikky nodded. "Problem is, how long can he keep it up? The charade, I mean?"

"Knowing Ryo... As long as he needs to." Bikky replied though he wondered just how true his statement really was. Ryo was slowly reaching his limits and if Dee didn't snap out of it soon, it could mean trouble for everyone there.

'_Don't let me down, Dee. You promised me that you would never hurt Ryo and I am going to make sure that you keep your word_.'

X--X--X

"At last! Something solid!" Drake announced when he entered the office and walked over to Ryo. "We ran the partial print we found in the storage shed through AFIS and got a hit." Drake slapped the photo down on Ryo's desk and grinned. "Joshua Dugan, age 36, released three months ago after serving a ten year sentence for sexual assault."

"Is this his current address?" Ryo picked up the photo and read the background information on their suspect in the rape and murders of eight boys and possibly Mother Lane as well.

"Yeah but it won't do us any good." Drake sighed. "According to Janet, who lives just a few blocks from that address, the building was demolished almost two months ago."

"Great, so he could be anywhere in the city. What about his parole officer?" Ryo frowned when he saw Drake shaking his head.

"Hasn't check in since last month. I couldn't get anything from the DMV or the Sex Offender's Registry either." Drake could see the frustration rising in Ryo's eyes. "I know it looks bad but we have a name and a face, Ryo. That's more than we had yesterday."

"I know, Drake. It just frustrates me that we are so close to getting this prick off the streets yet he still remains just out of our reach." Combing his fingers through his hair, Ryo sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Jesus, I have one heck of a headache today."

"Are things still tense at home?" The blond asked, knowing how rough it has been lately for his colleague. "You look like shit actually. Are you getting any sleep at all?"

"Just enough to allow me to do my job." Ryo acknowledge as he opened his eyes. "As for Dee, he barely talks to me these days. He's keeping everything so bottled up, Drake. I'm afraid that he's going to eventually explode." Dark eyes filled with sadness as Ryo stared at the photograph he had on his desk of Dee, Bikky and himself.

"I know what you mean. I called him yesterday, hoping that he would want to get together with JJ and I and have a few beers down at AJ's but Bikky couldn't even get him to take the phone. That had us both worried. We knew that he was depressed but shit Ryo..."

"I had heard that you called. Drake, I even tried to get him to go to AJ's hoping that maybe he would talk to John since they both grew up in the orphanage together, but he just shakes his head and tells me that he's not in the mood. Heck, John and Alex stopped by the other night and Dee wouldn't come out of the bedroom to talk to them. When John tried to go in, Dee locked the door." Ryo closed his eyes again and rubbed at his temples, wincing as his head began to throb more.

"Damn..." Drake frowned and then noticed the pained look on the other detective's face. "Ryo, why don't you go take something for that headache and then lie down in the break room for awhile? You look like you could use it. One of us will come and get you if anything comes up." Drake felt bad over seeing Ryo hurting the way he was. "You look as though you're in a lot of pain right now."

"I'll be fine, Drake. In another half-hour or so I'm going to grab some lunch and then I need to stop off at home to check on things. I need to get a few things finished first." Ryo opened his eyes and sat forward in his seat. "Could you please grab me a bottle of water from the fridge there?" Ryo motioned toward the small fridge that Dee had brought in for their office and then reached in his desk drawer for a bottle of Aspirin.

"Sure thing." Drake reached back and got the water before handing it to the chestnut haired detective. He watched as Ryo popped two pills into his mouth and then downed them with some of the water.

"Thanks, Drake. Those should kick in soon and I'll be good to go." Ryo gave the blond a soft smile. "I assume we're getting this photo out to other agencies and possibly the media?" Ryo picked up the photo again and stared at it.

"JJ is taking care of that as we speak. He's also checking with Jim down in forensics to see if the trace evidence matches the DNA profile we have on Joshua. If it does, then we should have a fairly solid case against this bastard."

"Has the photo been shown to that little boy, Armando, yet?" Ryo tried to stay focused as his headache raged on, though it was getting harder to do and he knew it.

"JJ and I will take a photo lineup over to the hospital this afternoon. The doctors say that he's improving nicely and may be able to go home by next week." Drake frowned as he studied Ryo's facial expressions, which clearly indicated to him that the chestnut haired detective was in a lot of pain. "Ryo, just go home will ya? You're not doing anyone any good here as long as you're in that much pain. I'm sure the Chief will understand."

"I-I can't, Drake. I've already taken enough time off as it were. Not only that, I'm already working reduced hours right now and with Dee being off due to Mother Lane's death..." Ryo's voice trailed off when he felt a wave of nausea sweep over him and he had to concentrate on not getting sick.

"Money's a bit tight huh?" Ryo nodded slowly. "Hey, I've been there myself a few times. We all have, dude. This city isn't one of the cheapest to live in." Drake continued to watch the other detective and he didn't like what he was seeing.

"I'm okay right now but the bills don't take sick leave when we do. I have a lot more respect for families with more than one kid, that's for sure, especially teens." Closing his eyes again, the chestnut haired man fought against the sick feeling by taking several deep breaths.

"Tell me about it. I hear Kim complaining about it all the time and she has two teenagers to deal with." Drake chuckled and then jumped when the door to Ryo's office flew open and Ted walked in. The blond immediately noticed the paled look on the redhead's face and knew that whatever he had to say wasn't going to be good.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Ryo you may want to get home right away." Ted's eyes were wide as he stood there, almost dreading what he had to say. Ryo's head shot up quickly, a little too quickly, which he discovered when he felt the nausea return.

"W-Why?" Ryo asked and tried to keep himself from getting sick.

"Marty and I were in the break room and the TV was on... Ryo, someone leaked out the details of Mother Lane's assault. It's out that she was raped. I'm really sorry..." Ted cringed when Ryo slammed his hands down on his desk.

"Who?" The chestnut haired detective felt the anger and fear rising and then mixing with the nausea. "Who the hell screwed up? That information was supposed to stay out of the press reports!"

"I really don't know Ryo. Marty is checking into it as we speak but I get the feeling that it may have come through forensics." Ted took a step backward after he saw how Ryo's eyes had darkened. "Just as soon as we know all the facts, you'll know as well."

"Dammit! I have to get home and hope that today is one of those days that no one has the TV on." Ryo stood up quickly only to grab the desk when he suddenly got hit with a dizzy spell.

"Whoa there buddy." Drake quickly grabbed Ryo to steady the detective. "Maybe you should sit down for a minute, Ryo." The blond looked over at Ted for some advice since he wasn't sure just what he should do.

"Yeah man; take a seat before you wind up on the floor." Ted echoed Drake as he shrugged his shoulders at the blond, unsure about what to do either.

"I can't. I really need to get home to Dee. If he hears about Mother Lane, who knows what he'll do." Taking a deep breath, Ryo managed to clear his head slightly.

"Then let one of us drive you home." Drake replied and Ted nodded. "I'll take your car and then just take the sub back. It's not a problem."

"Yeah Ryo... This way if Dee has heard and you need some help..." Ted started to say only to have Ryo cut him off.

"It's best that I handle Dee alone. I don't want him coming down on any of you as well." Ryo finally felt safe enough to let go of his desk and move. "I brought this on myself. I should have told Dee the truth and I didn't. I just didn't have the heart. Anything that happens now I have to face up to on my own."

"Ryo, if there's anything we can do to help, you know damn well that we will. We are all family here and that means we help each other however we can. Don't be ashamed of asking for help." Drake looked at his colleague sadly.

"I know you would and I appreciate it but I need to take responsibility for this." Ryo gave Drake a smile. "I'll manage somehow, so please don't worry."

"Okay, but I'm still driving you home so don't even try to argue with me. Got that Detective Maclean?" Drake glared at Ryo to show that he was serious.

"Thanks, Drake. Right now I doubt that I could drive anyway. I guess the stress of the past week or so has affected me more than I realized." Ryo grabbed his jacket and then looked at Ted. "Would you inform the Chief that I had to leave to take care of an emergency personal matter and that I'll explain it all later?"

"Don't worry Ryo, I'll take care of things here." Ted patted Ryo on the back as he passed by. "Call me should you need anything, alright?"

"Will do, thanks Ted." Still looking a little pale, Ryo allowed Drake to help him out of the building and to his car even though he hated appearing so weak. At the moment, all Ryo could think about was Dee and what his lover might be going through if he heard the news about his beloved Mother.

X--X--X

As soon as Ryo opened the door to the apartment he was met with chaos as Bikky and Cal ran to him and both started talking at once. With his headache worsening, coupled with being worried about Dee and now this, Ryo was finding it hard to concentrate. His eyes darted around the living room before he finally put his hands up in an attempt at quieting the two youths so that he could find out what was going on.

"One at a time, please. I can't understand a thing you're saying." Ryo sighed in relief when they stopped. "Where's Dee?"

"That's what we're trying to tell you!" Bikky looked at Ryo with wide eyes. "He was back in the bedroom watching TV, I think. I was helping Cal make lunch when we heard what sounded like World War Three breaking out back there." Bikky held onto Cal's hand as she stood there looking frightened.

"Ryo, he went berserk. The bedroom is a mess." Cal had started to cry again and Ryo quickly reached out to pull her close.

"It's all right, Cal. Please don't worry." Ryo wrapped his arms around Cal protectively as he tried to comfort the frightened girl. "Where is Dee now?"

"We don't know. After he trashed the bedroom and nearly took my head off with the alarm clock, he started cussing and yelling about you being a bastard for not telling him the truth and then he stormed out of here." Bikky finished and watched Ryo stood there stunned. "What's going on?"

"He found out about Mother Lane." Ryo said softly as tears started to fill his eyes. "Someone leaked the information out and the media got a hold of it. God, I should have told him... I should have told him."

"Ryo, it's not your fault." Cal looked up at the grief stricken man. "You were only trying to protect him from anymore pain."

"But he won't see it that way..." What Ryo feared the most was that this might be all it would take to destroy the man he loved.

After telling the two to stay put, Ryo headed for the bedroom. When he walked in and saw for himself the rage Dee must have felt over the news, it became too much for him. Dropping to his knees, Ryo looked around the war torn room as his tears began to fall.

'_Oh god, what have I done? It's all my fault. Mother's death may have pushed Dee 'to' the edge but I may have just pushed him 'over' it_.'

** To Be Continued**


	8. Searching

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Seven  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
****Chapter Seven  
**Searching  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

"Randy, please come in." Father Cardenas greeted the younger man and beckoned Ryo to enter the Rectory office. "I gathered from your recent phone call that you still haven't found Dee?"

"No Sir, I haven't." Ryo looked at the priest sadly as he followed Father Cardenas into his office. The scent of incense hung in the air and Ryo discovered that it was having a rather calming effect on him. "I hope that you don't mind that I stopped by. I just didn't know where else to turn or what else to do?"

"I don't mind at all, Randy. After all it's my job to be here for the people I serve and for those who may need guidance, regardless of their faith." Once in the office, Father Cardenas pointed to a small sofa. "Please have a seat and rest for a while. You look as though you could use a break. I get the feeling that you've been running all over this city tonight, searching for Dee." Ryo nodded.

"I know that I should be out looking for Dee but... I know him all too well, Father. If he doesn't want to be found, he can be pretty good at staying hidden." Ryo sighed as he took a seat. It was already going on nine o'clock pm and he had been out looking for Dee close to four hours now with no luck thus far.

"Then maybe it's best that you stop searching and just wait until Dee is ready to be found and ready to come home to you. I'm sure he will eventually." Father Cardenas grabbed a chair and pulled it over in front of Ryo before he sat down as well.

"I apologize about the details of Mother Lane's assault getting out to the media. We are looking into finding the person who leaked the information out. I assure you that this will be dealt with accordingly." Clasping his hands between his knees, Ryo stared down at them.

"Randy, things like this happen. It's no one's fault so I wish that you wouldn't come down too hard on whomever said anything." Father Cardenas could see that Ryo was visibly shaken and needed someone to talk to. "Is it safe to assume that it was through the media where Dee found out about it?"

"Yes, you are correct." When Ryo raised his head he was met with a sympathetic face, which didn't help to squelch his guilt over the leak or the fact that he had not told Dee everything. "I-I was at work when the news broke. By the time I got home... Dee..." His voice trailed off and his head lowered.

"It's alright, just take your time. I can see that you need to get this off your chest and so I'm more than happy to just listen." Father Cardenas spoke softly, offering whatever help he could to the grief stricken man.

"Dee... He uh... He obviously took the news very hard because he trashed the bedroom and then stormed out of the apartment, according to what Bikky and Cal told me." As he spoke, Ryo's hands shook almost as much as his voice did.

"Bikky is your foster son, correct?"

"Yes... Cal is his best friend." Ryo nodded as he replied.

"Dee didn't harm them did he?"

"No. He would never do that anyway. Cal is Dee's little princess and while he and Bikky don't always get along, I know that Dee cares about him and would never harm him." Ryo sighed heavily. "Bikky did say that an alarm clock Dee threw nearly clipped him but it wasn't directed at him intentionally. It missed Bikky so no one was hurt in end."

"I'm glad to hear that no one was hurt at least." Father Cardenas sighed. "From what Maria has told me about Dee he does seem to have a soft spot for children despite his tough guy image."

"Yes, I have to agree. I think it's because he understands them... at least Bikky and the children at the orphanage anyway." Ryo smiled for a moment before he got serious again as he looked up at the priest. "Father, if Dee would show up here would you please call me as soon as possible? I really need to speak with him and explain why I... Why I kept this information from him."

"I will be glad to do that, Randy. I should warn you though; I can't do it if he appears in a Confessional Booth. I'm bound by the church to keep such things confidential. I'm sorry." Father Cardenas could sense Ryo's inner turmoil and so he surrounded the younger man's hands with his own.

"Father, I..." Suddenly Ryo's throat got very dry and he just couldn't form any words.

"Randy, I know that you're worried about Dee and you're concerned about how this will affect your relationship but you have to have faith in the love that the two of you share. As long as you believe in it and its strength that love will see the both of you through this. The bonds you and Dee share should be strong enough to keep this from tearing you apart."

"I'd like to believe that but given the severity of the situation..." Ryo paused and his eyes stared at the two sets of hands as he tried to find some comfort in the warmth they provided. "This is Mother Lane we're talking about and the fact that I withheld information concerning the woman Dee adored... The basic rules governing love just don't seem to apply in this instance."

"I can understand that and your concerns, Randy. I also believe that this whole thing has finally allowed Dee to let go of his anger and pain over her death, all of which he has been holding inside and internalizing over. Maybe now he can start the healing process and move on." Father Cardenas gave Ryo's hands a gentle squeeze when he felt how much they were shaking.

"It just seems too simple. Dee is more than likely extremely angry with me over keeping these details from him and he's not going to let go of that anger so easily. I wanted to tell him, I really did, Father. It's just that Dee has been so depressed lately that I just couldn't bring myself to doing it. I couldn't stand the thought of seeing him in any more pain than he already was." When Ryo looked up, Father Cardenas could see the unshed tears that glassed over the dark orbs.

"Randy, you were only doing what anyone else would have done for the person they cared about." The priest patted Ryo's top hand before he released them. "I'm sure that once Dee calms down he will come to see that as well."

"Father, I... I just don't know... Dee isn't your average person and he doesn't react in the way you would think a person would react. I've known him long enough to have seen that." Ryo watched as the priest stood up and then walked over to a bookshelf where he stood and gazed at the many books lining the shelves.

"Randy, my best advice to you is to just give Dee the time he needs to sort through all of his feelings. Give him time to clear his head and think things through. It could be the reason he took off. He needs this time alone to come to terms with everything that has happened before he can return home." Father Cardenas looked over at Ryo and gave the chestnut haired man a warm smile. "Keep the faith Randy, no matter what your religious beliefs may be. Don't ever lose sight of the strength your love for Dee holds."

"I will try, Father. Thank you." Ryo nodded and then stood up. This time he was much more careful and got up slower so he wouldn't get dizzy, unlike the time in his office. "I'm sorry to have taken up so much of your time."

"Do not apologize for needing to talk. Seems to me like you needed some comfort as well. I hope that I was able to offer some of that, in some way." The priest smiled a little more.

"You have and I do thank you for that." Tilting his head to one side, Ryo looked at Father Cardenas for a moment before speaking. "May I ask you a question, Sir?"

"Sure. What's on you mind?"

"I've always assumed that the Catholic Church had very rigid views on... Dee... and I... I mean, considering that Dee and I are both men and all..." Ryo blushed, feeling just a little odd over asking such a question, especially when Father Cardenas began to chuckle.

"You're wondering how it is that I can so easily condone your relationship with Dee or any homosexual relationship, for that matter, when the Church tells me that those relationships are wrong?" Father Cardenas chuckled over Ryo's shyness.

"Y-Yes... I guess that pretty much sums it up." After combing his fingers through his hair, Ryo ducked his head down and blushed even more.

"Publicly I am bound by the Church and its views on the subject, which I do adhere to, to an extent. Privately though, it's another matter altogether. Privately, I have formed my own opinions on the subject and I stand by them, regardless of what the church says." Sitting down on the corner of his desk, Father Cardenas picked up a Rolodex photo album and flipped through it before handing it to Ryo. "This is my older brother, Tony. He was killed almost ten years ago."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Father." Ryo studied the photo before handing it back.

"Thank you." Father Cardenas placed the album back on his desk before turning to Ryo again. "Tony was the victim of a gay bashing incident that also left his partner a quadriplegic. When Tony first came out and he told our parents, they couldn't handle it, especially since they were very devout Catholics. They literally turned their backs on Tony and refused to have anything to do with him. They had even banned me from having any contact with him, but I couldn't do it. I adored Tony and I idolized him. After all he was my big brother. I didn't care that he was gay or that he was involved with a man. None of that mattered to me..."

"Yet you still became a priest despite your convictions?" Ryo arched an eyebrow as he looked at the priest.

"I did it out of an obligation to my family. My parents always hoped that Tony would enter the priesthood but those hopes were dashed when he announced that he was gay and in love with another man."

"So you took his place and entered the priesthood in order to make your folks happy." Ryo watched as Father Cardenas nodded. "I'm just guessing, but I bet you were hoping that if you became a priest that your parents could still get their wish at seeing their son become a priest and then maybe they could finally accept Tony and his lifestyle."

"You are correct. Sadly, that never happened and only after Tony's death did my parents realize how many precious years they lost with Tony." Father Cardenas sighed but still managed a smile. "You have a very keen insight into people, Randy. You would have made an excellent priest. You can sense things about people that they sometimes can't sense about themselves. That's a wonderful quality to possess."

"Too bad my insight always seems to fall flat when it comes to Dee. Even when I first met him, I always seemed to miss the signals he was sending my way." Ryo closed his eyes and sighed softly. "I was totally clueless about his feelings for me for the longest time and I know it drove Dee crazy."

"Maybe it's because you were afraid that if you acknowledged them you would have to ackowledge your own sexuality and you just weren't ready to do that. Like Dee needs now, you just needed time to sort through everything and come to terms with it."

"It's taken me awhile to realize that, but yes that is it in a nutshell. I didn't want to face the fact that I was gay, even though there was this small part of me that always knew it to be true. It was easier to deny it then it was to admit it." Ryo nodded. "If it hadn't have been for Dee's persistence and his love, I may have continued denying it."

"Love can do miraculous things, Randy. That's why I firmly believe that the love you and Dee have for each other will be what sees you two through this current crisis." Father Cardenas smiled at Ryo and was happy to see the man smile back.

"I hope so, as well. Well, I've taken up enough of your time as it were, plus I really should get home and check with Bikky, just in case Dee has called. Thank you, Father. Talking about all of this has really helped." Ryo extended his hand toward the priest.

"I'm glad that I could be of assistance and should you need someone to talk to, my door is always open, Randy." Father Cardenas shook Ryo's hand before he escorted the younger man out.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you once again." Ryo smiled a little as he slipped out into the cool night air. "Goodnight, Father."

"Goodnight and may the Lord be with you, Randy." Father Cardenas watched as Ryo walked to his car and got in before turning to go inside. Glancing back over his shoulder as Ryo pulled off, Father Cardenas looked up toward the sky.

'_Help guide them down the correct path, even if you don't fully agree with the lives they have chosen to live_.'

** To Be Continued**


	9. Confused and Angry

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Eight  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
****Chapter Eight  
**Confused and Angry  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

"So, do you care to tell me why you're here at this late hour on a weeknight and without your better half, no less, or are you going to make me guess?" An eyebrow arched and a full mug of beer was placed in front of the dark brunette, who glared at the man behind the bar.

"I've got a newsflash for you Johnnie Boy... I'm a big boy now so curfews are long gone." Dee continued to glare at the bartender, who just smiled back at him. "Here's another newsflash for you... Ryo and I are not attached at the hips; therefore I can go places without him and visa versa."

"Uh-Oh, what did you do this time to piss Ryo off?" As he started washing up ashtrays, John glanced up and over at Dee, who was still glaring at him.

"Up yours! I didn't do a damn thing, Wiseass! This time it's all his fault! So if you want to come down on anyone, come down on him!" Dee downed half of his beer before he looked over at the bartender. "He fucking deceived me, John. Ryo never told me that the Penguin was... She was... Sexually assaulted! I can't believe he could keep that from me! How could he do such a fucking thing?"

"Are you sure that he even knew about it?" John asked despite already knowing the answer.

Concerned about Dee's state of mind since The Penguin's death, Ryo had stopped by the bar one morning in hopes of getting some advice. John immediately sent Ryo back to the kitchen where Alex was, knowing that his partner was closer to Ryo than he was and better able to help their friend.

"Do I look like some sort of fool to you, John? The detectives investigating her murder are in our department! They would have told him, I'm sure of it!" Dee finished off his beer and then pushed his mug toward John. "Fill her up... In fact, just keep them coming!"

"Okay but I think you'd be better off going home and discussing this with Ryo instead of sitting here and sulking as you get plastered." John shook his head as he refilled Dee's mug and then set it down. "Knowing Ryo, I bet he's worried sick about you right now."

"I really don't care! Let the bastard worry! It serves him right!" Once more, Dee downed half his beer in one swig. He was already starting to feel the makings of a buzz and damn if it didn't feel good. "To tell you the truth, I'm so damn pissed at him right now that I would most likely knock his damn lights out if I went home!"

"Dee, I know that you're upset and I understand how you feel and all. Hell, I was just as shocked when I heard about The Penguin. Even so, I'm not going to run off and throttle someone just because I'm pissed off at them." John put down the ashtrays he had been washing and dried off his hands before he tapped out a beer for himself and leaned up against the bar in front of Dee. "I'm sure Ryo had a good reason for not saying anything to you about this. Maybe he just didn't want to upset you anymore than you already were? Have you considered that at all?"

"Do you think that's supposed to make things all right? Did he think that it would be easier on me if I heard it on the news instead of from him? Don't bullshit me, John! Ryo should have told me 'before' all of New York heard about it! I had that fucking right! This is a lousy thing for Ryo to do to me and I can't forgive him for it." Dee glared at the larger and taller man before he finished his beer and then waited for a refill.

"Okay, I'll give you that one. You did have a right to know before anyone else, especially strangers. Still... Ryo never struck me as the type to purposely hurt anyone, especially those he cares about. He loves you too much to do something like that. Sure he may have gone about things the wrong way but he had to have his reasons for doing so, don't you think?" Running a hand through his light brown hair, John watched as Dee finished off another beer before setting his mug down and pushing it toward him.

"Oh he had reasons all right... The man doesn't have any frigging balls! That's his reason!" Dee hissed and then glared at John when he made no move to refill his mug. "I said to keep them coming, didn't I?"

"Yeah but unless you slow it down a little, you'll wind up passed out on the floor. How about a soda as an in between drink and than I'll refill you?" John suggested, though he knew Dee wouldn't go for it.

"Don't tell me what to do! Now refill the damn mug!" Dee's words were already beginning to slur slightly, which concerned John. "You know...? I never thought Ryo would do something like this to me. I never thought he could be so calloused. I guess I was wrong because that's just what he is... A callous son-of-a-bitch who's missing his balls!" Both men looked when someone walked in and stood at the other end of the bar.

"Hold that thought, will ya? I'll be right back." John quickly walked away without refilling Dee's mug, hoping to give Dee a few minutes between beers.

Dee huffed and then frowned when he saw that his mug was still empty. He was tempted to just get up and get another one himself but instead he found himself staring down at the cardboard coaster laying on the bar top in front of him.

'_Ryo is supposed to be my partner and my lover, yet when I needed him the most I discover that he's been hiding things from me! The damn prick just stabbed me in the back! Now John 'the jerk' Thompson expects me to be all forgiving and understanding? I don't think so! All this is doing is making me wonder just what else Ryo is keeping from me? Hell, I don't even know if he's being honest with me about where they are with the investigation. Maybe it's time that I start doing a little digging on my own and get some real answers for a change! One thing is for sure, if those incompetent assholes can't find the bastard who hurt Mother, then I'll find him. And when I do find him I will make sure that he never forgets the name of Dee Latener, I guarantee it_!'

"Sorry about the interruption, Dee." John came back, causing Dee to jump a little. "The dude was lost and needed directions to some hotel downtown." Even though he really didn't want to, John refilled Dee's empty mug and sat it down on the bar top. "Now where were we?"

"I was just about to go use the head and you were just about to mind your own business. That's where we were!" Dee took several quick swigs of his beer before standing slowly and then staggering off toward the hallway where the restrooms were.

"Okay..." John blinked as he watched Dee walk off. Once Dee was out of sight, John quickly grabbed his cell phone to call his lover. "Alex darling, please be home. I need your help on this one, Baby." As he waited for his lover to pick up the phone, John kept his eyes trained on the hallway, just in case Dee would return before he was expected to.

"Hello?"

John sighed in relief when he heard the sound of his lover's voice. "Hi, Babe. I need you to do me a favor, okay?"

"Sure, what's up? Is it busy there?"

"It's a light night but that's not the problem. Dee's here and he's slowly getting plastered. Apparently he saw the news report about The Penguin and he's pissed off at Ryo for not telling him about it sooner." John explained.

"Shit! That's not good."

"I know. Anyway, call Ryo or swing over to the apartment and let him know. I'd call him but if Dee comes out of the bathroom and sees me on the phone, he may storm out of here if he knew I was talking to Ryo." As John spoke, he filled drink orders and placed them on a tray for his waitress. There were only about a half dozen people in the bar at the moment since Thursdays were always their slowest night of the week.

'_The day before payday and everyone is either broke or near broke. Why do Alex and I even bother to open on Thursdays_?'

"I can do that but you know Ryo will want to come over there right away."

"I thought about that too. That's why I think it may be best if you go to the apartment to tell him. It's not a good idea for him to come here right now. Give me some time to try and settle hot head down first, okay?" John cradled the phone in the crook of his neck as he rang up an order and doled out the change.

"Okay, I'll try but Dee isn't the only one who can get stubborn when he wants to. Ryo is a pretty good match for the hotheaded award too."

"I know darling and I'm sorry to put you on the spot but if anyone can get Ryo to listen to reason, it's you." John sighed as he stood at the bar and then glanced at his watch to see that it was after midnight already. "Sweetheart, I know it's late and that you're tired but I don't know what else to do here? You're the people person, not me."

"Relax lover, I've got it covered. Oh and don't sell yourself short. You're very good with understanding people as well."

That had John smiling. "Thanks, Baby. I owe you big time."

"And I'll make sure you pay up too. Okay I'd better head off now. I love you, darling."

"I love you too. Alex, I'll call you when I think it's safe enough for Ryo to come and get Dee. Until then, just have Ryo sit tight and wait. I know it won't be easy for him but it's for the best." John saw Dee emerging from the hallway and then walk over to the Jukebox to put on some music. "Hey, I gotta go... Good luck, Baby."

"Same to you."

Alex hung up after blowing a kiss over the phone and John clicked off the phone just as Dee turned and headed back over to the bar.

'_So much for my slow, quiet and uneventful night_.'

X--X--X

"I guess you didn't have any luck finding Dee, huh?" Bikky asked when Ryo walked into the apartment and he saw the frown creasing his dad's brow.

"No..." Ryo sighed as he took off his jacket and hung it up in the closet. "I assume no one called?"

"Sorry." Bikky could see that Ryo was exhausted and very worried about Dee, which only made Bikky angrier over Dee's behavior. "I'm sure the Bozo will be home soon, so don't worry."

"I hope so, Bik. I really need to talk to him and get this all straightened out before it gets any worse." Ryo pulled his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and sat it on the coffee table after checking the phone's charge level. "I don't know where he could be though? I checked everywhere I could think of." Sitting down on the couch, Ryo leaned forward and covered his face with his hands. "Where could he be?"

"Did you check AJ's?" Bikky asked as he walked over and sat next to the chestnut haired detective. He hated seeing Ryo looking so distraught even though it was a look he had been seeing since Mother Lane's death.

"Yeah, it was one of the first places I went to. John said he would call me if he heard from Dee. I stopped by the orphanage, by the church and even went by the precinct but no one has seen or heard from Dee." Ryo squeezed his eyes shut and moaned softly as his head throbbed with pain. "Bikky, would you please get me the aspirin from the medicine chest... and a bottle of water?"

"Sure." Bikky jumped to his feet and dashed off to retrieve the items before he returned and handed them to Ryo. "How bad is it this time?" The teen frowned over the way Ryo looked. Every since Ryo had gotten hit over the head by a suspect, almost a year ago, the chestnut haired man would develop migraine headaches when under a lot of stress.

"On a scale of one to ten? I'd say this one is damn near a ten." Ryo winced as he swallowed the pills.

"Maybe you should have taken the pills that doctor Chase gave you instead of just aspirin." Bikky sat down again and carefully watched Ryo.

"They make me feel groggy and right now I need my head clear. I'll be okay in a few minutes." Dark eyes, now ringed with dark circles glanced over at the teen, who was still frowning. "Honestly, Bikky. I'll be okay."

"Liar!" The word caused Ryo to sit up straight, shocked by his charge's sudden tone. "You've been so busy caring for Dee and worrying about him that you taking time to care for yourself! You don't sleep well at night and I know that you haven't been eating right either! Dammit, Ryo! I know you're worried about Dee but what good will you be to him... Or me, if you collapse?" The teen looked away, embarrassed by the emotions starting to flood out. "Dee's not the only one who needs you!"

"Bikky..." Ryo's voice came out in a horsy rasp. "I know you need me too and I am sorry if you feel as though I haven't been giving you any attention..."

"It's not that... I know you don't have a lot of time right now. It's okay..." When Ryo heard his son sniffle, the chestnut haired man quickly put an arm around the teen's shoulders, which was all it took for Bikky. "Why? Why did she have to die? Why?"

For a moment Ryo just sat there, stunned by Bikky's questions. He had been so caught up in Dee's grief that he never stopped to realize how Mother Lane's death might have affected Bikky. Over the past few years the teen had tagged along with Dee, many times, to go help out at the orphanage. Sometimes it was to assist with events and other times it was to do some light maintenance on the building. Usually the visits resulted in both spending time with Mother Lane, so it was only natural that Bikky would have grown to like her, as they all had done.

"Bikky... I... I wish I knew why but I don't. Right now, all I have are theories and speculations." Ryo pulled the teen closer, wishing he had clearer answers for his son.

"T-Tonight... Cal and I heard on the news what that jerk had done to her. How can someone do that to a nun, Ryo? She was... She..." Bikky bit down on his bottom lip, afraid that if he didn't, he would start crying... again. Since Mother Lane had died, he had cried several times but only when he was alone. Once he nearly lost it while with Cal, after she had started crying, but he managed to hold it back.

Ryo curled his arm to place his hand on Bikky's head and gently lower it down onto his shoulder. "She was sacred and that man tarnished that. I know Bikky. I'm sure that's how Dee is seeing it now as well." Ryo rested his cheek against Bikky's head and sighed. "I'm sorry that I never stopped to think about how this was affecting you. I know it hurts, we're all feeling it."

"She was so cool, you know? She even knew a lot about basketball." Bikky sniffled again. "Did you know that she actually met Michael Jordan when the Bulls came to play the Knicks? He heard about her and her work at the orphanage and stopped by to donate money to it."

"Yeah, I recall Dee talking about it. It was right before I started working at the two-seven and I met the two of you." Ryo smiled a little as he recalled the day he had met the two most important people in his life now.

"H-He gave her an autographed basketball, thinking she'd auction it off to raise money but she kept it." Bikky's voice quivered as he spoke and Ryo could sense how hard his son was fighting not to cry. "She said that if I graduated high school with at least a B average that she would give it to me. Man did that piss Dee off too because he wanted it."

"Dee told me about that and I am very proud of you too. You've been working your tail off in school this year." Ryo gave Bikky a squeeze. "Mother Lane was overjoyed with your last report card as I recall."

"Yeah, I only had two C's this time." Bikky closed his eyes. It had been a long time since he had allowed anyone but Cal to hold him like this and it sort of felt nice having his dad do it now. "Ryo?"

"Yeah?" Ryo turned his head slightly and glanced at the teen.

"You will catch the guy who did this right? I mean, he will pay and pay dearly, right?" Ryo could hear the fatigue settle into Bikky's voice as the teen spoke and knew that it was only a matter of time before the blond would fall asleep.

"We're doing everything we can to make that happen, Bikky. I won't lie to you... We can only arrest him and then make sure our evidence against him is solid. The rest will be up to the prosecutor and the court system. I know it may not be what you want to hear but..."

"You know if he isn't caught at least, Dee may try to go after him, don't you?" Ryo was startled by Bikky's observation though he half expected it just the same. "That was Dee's mother the prick hurt and you know Dee won't let him get away with it."

"I know Bikky. That's what worries me most of all and that's why it's so important that I find Dee as soon as possible. Dee is a damn good detective, despite how he may appear to some and he will track the guy down if we don't get to Dee or our suspect first." Ryo felt a chill run up his spine over past memories of Dee's need to make sure justice was served, even if it was by his own methods.

"If... If he does that, he could lose his badge though. Doesn't he know that?" Bikky finally felt okay enough to sit up and look at Ryo. "Would he risk his career like that?" The teen knew Dee would risk it all for Mother Lane, or anyone he really cared about, but Bikky still held out hope that over the years and being with Ryo, may have mellowed Dee out a bit.

"Not only could he lose his badge Bikky but he could also be brought up on criminal charges. To top it all off, he could also jeopardize our case against the suspect." Ryo sighed. "Mother Lane was a very important part of Dee's life and he will go off on a blind rage and go after the man who did this to her. I have no doubt about that. Unless I can find him and talk some sense into him, there won't be any stopping him, short of placing him under arrest."

"Would you really do that?" Bikky's eyes went wide over the mere thought of Ryo arresting Dee.

"If it's the only option open to me... Yes." Ryo frowned. The thought of doing that to the man he loved didn't please him at all. "The guy who killed Mother Lane is also wanted in the rapes and deaths of eight little boys, as well as the rape and beating of another boy, who survived. I can't allow Dee's anger to deny the families of those kids to see justice being served. If I did then I would be just as bad as Dee."

"Well, do what you have to do and I'll support your decision either way." Bikky stood and stretched. "I think I'm going to turn in, I'm beat." He glanced back at Ryo. "You should try to get some sleep too."

"I will in a little bit." Ryo sat back and closed his eyes. "I'm going to try calling a few places first." He opened his eyes and looked at the teen. "Bikky, I am sorry that if it seemed as those I was ignoring your feelings about Mother Lane. I guess I just didn't stop to think."

"It's okay... You know now, so it's cool." The teen shrugged and started heading for bed when he stopped and turned around. "Thanks, Dad. I'm really glad we had this talk." With that, the teen hurried off to bed, leaving Ryo sitting there and smiling for the first time since he had come home from work.

'_Yeah, me too, Bikky_.'

** To Be Continued**


	10. Deeper Into Hell

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Nine  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
****Chapter Nine  
**Deeper Into Hell  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

Ryo watched his son disappear down the hall, feeling a little better about things since their talk. Now all he had to do was find Dee and hopefully clear things up with him before they could get worse. Reaching for the phone and then his address book to make a few phone calls, Ryo's plans were interrupted when someone began knocking at his door.

Thinking, or rather hoping, that it was Dee, Ryo jumped to his feet and quickly rushed toward the door, immediately regretting the sudden move when a wave of nausea began to sweep over him. Fighting through it, Ryo threw open the door and mentally prepared himself for a barrage of cuss words and insults he knew he would be met with.

"Dee I..."

"Sorry to disappoint, Ryo."

"A-Alex...?" Confused at first, Ryo wasn't sure what to say or to think until his head cleared and he managed to put a reason to 'why' his friend was there. "Dee contacted John, didn't he? Is he at the bar?"

"Yeah, Dee is down at the bar. John called me earlier to tell me." Alex frowned when he noticed how pale Ryo appeared as he stepped into the apartment after his friend stepped aside. He knew the signs of a migraine all too well. John suffered from them too and Alex knew just how painful and incapacitating they could be.

"Thank God." Ryo breathed a sigh of relief. "Just give me a second so I can leave a note for Bikky, just in case he would wake up and wonder where I am. I'll go right down there to get Dee and hopefully he and I can get this all settled." Ryo started heading toward the computer desk but the room began to spin and he reached for the first thing he could, which was Alex.

"Uh Ryo, I mean no offense here but I think you need to sit down and do it now." The auburn haired man kept a firm grip on his friend as he started leading Ryo toward the couch. "Is it a migraine?" Ryo nodded slowly, causing Alex to frown even more. "Then sit down now!"

"I-I... I can't, Alex. I need to go talk to Dee and I need to do it now." Despite his declaration, Ryo did sit down though. He really didn't have a choice at the moment. His head was throbbing just too badly to remain standing, plus Alex's grip on him was preventing Ryo from doing anything else.

"Listen, John called me earlier and said that you should wait until he calls you before you go down there. From what I gather, Dee is really pissed off and he's drinking like a fish at the moment." Alex knew it would only raise Ryo's concerns about his lover but Alex wasn't about to lie to his friend either. "Considering what I know so far, I doubt Dee would speak with you right now, so give John some time to calm Dee down first, Okay?"

"I'm well aware of the fact that he's angry and that anger is directed at me, Alex. He's angry because I didn't tell him everything about Mother Lane's assault. I really need to talk to him before... Before it gets even worse." Ryo sat back and nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

"I understand Ryo. I know you want to explain to Dee why you didn't tell him, after all you owe him that much, but right now I seriously doubt that he would listen to anything you say." Alex sat down next to the chestnut haired man after seeing how frantic his friend was. "John has known Dee long enough to see that he is not up to rationally discussing anything at the moment. If you go down there now, with the way Dee is, it may only make things worse. As hard as it is, you have to be patient and wait for John to call." Ryo nodded as he sat there with his eyes closed.

"If you want, I'll stay here with you until John calls and then we can go down there together, okay?"

"Thanks, Alex." Ryo spoke softly. "I should have told him. Dee had every right to know the truth and yet I kept it from him." Putting his fingers to his temples, Ryo began to rub them, hoping to squelch some of the pain. "I knew I was taking a risk by not telling him. I knew that yet I still did it! God I am such a baka!"

Alex couldn't help but laugh, which had Ryo cracking open an eye to glare at him. "I'm sorry, Ryo. I know it's not polite to laugh and all, especially right now, but I may have to learn some basic Japanese just to keep up with you."

"Sorry about that. I don't realize I do it at times." Ryo blushed and found himself smiling a little. Anyway, baka means idiot, jerk, stupid or foolish... Along those lines."

"Would you look at that? He can actually smile folks." Alex joked and then laughed when Ryo glared at him again. "Hey I was only trying to cheer you up. Give me a break will ya? I do have a good excuse if I failed. I worked at the bar until five, did the grocery shopping and then cleaned the apartment, so I'm half dead right now."

"Sounds like my schedule most of the time." Ryo nodded. "Thanks, Alex. I do appreciate it the effort." Ryo closed his eyes and winced as another wave of pain shot through his head.

"No, your schedule is a lot worse than mine is." Alex began but stopped when he noticed the look on Ryo's face. "Did you take anything for it?" It was obvious to Alex that Ryo was in a great deal of pain. What amazed him the most was the fact that his friend was still able to function, despite being hit with what appeared to be a full-blown migraine.

"Yeah, I took something earlier." Ryo sighed. He felt exhausted and beaten but until he cleared things up with Dee he couldn't even think about resting just yet.

"Over the counter or prescription?" Alex asked. When Ryo didn't answer, the auburn haired man frowned. "OTCs won't do squat and you know it! You're like John, he takes the OTCs first and then waits until he's in terrible pain before breaking down and taking the good stuff. Where are your pills? I'll get them for you."

"I-I can't take them yet, Alex. I need my head clear right now and those things make me groggy." Ryo explained and opened his eyes. "I'm just worried that this could... With Dee and I..." Ryo couldn't finish. He didn't want to think about what this whole thing could do to his relationship with Dee.

"Ryo, don't you even think it!" Alex quickly put an arm around his friend's shoulders. "You and Dee love each other too much to allow something like this to tear you two apart. I don't want to hear any of that crap, you hear?"

"I don't want to think such things but..." Ryo looked at Alex, sadly. "Alex, I'm scared... I don't want to lose Dee but when it comes to things concerning Mother Lane, his emotions go haywire."

"You won't, Ryo. Dee loves you way too much." Alex could see that Ryo was trying not to cry but he knew it was most likely just what his friend needed to do. He had a feeling that since Mother Lane's death, Ryo had been so busy worrying about Dee that he never got the chance to fully feel the loss himself. "Ryo, go on and cry if you need to. For all you know, it may do you a world of good."

Alex's words seemed to go straight to Ryo's heart. "T-Thanks..." Ryo wasn't sure when he started crying exactly, only that he was and the comfort Alex offered was just what he needed at the moment. It was the first time since Mother Lane's funeral that Ryo had actually allowed himself some time to mourn her passing and as selfish as it seemed, he finally realized that he needed the comfort just as much as Dee did.

X--X--X

Ryo and Alex walked into the bar and as Alex walked over to his partner, Ryo's eyes caught sight of Dee, who was seated down at the far end of the bar. Taking a deep breath, Ryo looked over at his friends as he worked up the nerve to go down and confront his lover, unsure about the reception he would receive.

"I should warn you, he's pretty well plastered Ryo." John remarked.

"I figured as much. Thanks for everything, John." Ryo acknowledged the slightly younger gentleman.

"It's no problem, Ryo. I did cut him off but he doesn't look as though he's in any rush to leave anytime soon." Leaning forward onto the bar, John lowered his voice. "He's been sucking the beers down as fast as I served them to him and I didn't want to refuse him because I was worried that he would just go somewhere else, you know?"

"I'm glad that you did what you had to then." Ryo's gaze went to Dee, who was hunched over his beer and looking so lost. "Is his tab paid up?" When John nodded Ryo headed down the bar and stopped beside the dark brown haired man.

"You checking up on me or something?" Dee kept his eyes on the golden liquid in his glass.

"Not at all. I just thought you might like a ride home that's all." Ryo went to lay a hand on Dee's arm only to have his lover yank it away.

"Don't touch me! I'm a big boy, Ryo. I think I am capable of walking home without you being my taxi service." Dee looked up and glared at the bartender, who pushed a beer Ryo's way, figuring his friend could use one. "I assume this old fart ratted me out?"

"I only called my partner, ass-wipe! Besides, I'm the same age as you and if I'm an old fart then so are you!" John shot back and looked at Alex who couldn't help but giggle at the way the two were talking.

"Shut up!" Dee growled at the two, who stood behind the bar.

"Dee, Alex called me after John called him. They were both worried about you that's all." Ryo sighed as he took a sip of the beer John had given him and was surprised at how smooth it seemed to go down. "Why don't we finish these and then go home, alright?"

"I don't want to!" Dee snapped and then glared at Ryo. "I'll go home when I damn well feel like it! You are NOT my boss!"

"Dee, I know that. I also know that you're still upset and that you're hurting, but this isn't the way to deal with it. Let's just go home and we can talk or you can go to bed and then maybe in the morning you'll feel well enough to discuss this."

"Fuck you! I trusted you, dammit!" Dee went to stand up but the room started spinning and he had to sit down again. "You had no right withholding that information from me. How could you do that?"

"Dee..." Ryo closed his eyes as he tried to keep his own emotions under control. It was hard enough dealing with Dee when he was in angry mode as it were, but drunk and angry was even worse.

"You should have told me! I'm your frigging lover for crying out loud!" Once again Dee tried to stand and this time succeeded, but just barely. "You not only kept that information from me but you also suckered the guys 'and' the doctors into keeping it from me as well. What the fuck, you even convinced Father Cardenas to keep it from me! You even got 'my' priest to lie for you as well!" Green eyes flared with anger the more Dee talked.

"Dee, I'm sorry about that. You were so distraught and all that I didn't want to hurt you any more than you already were. Even after the fact there just never seemed to be a good time to tell you. Hell, I could barely get you to talk to me as it were." Ryo reached out to steady his lover when Dee began to sway but the younger man smacked his hand away.

"I already told you not to touch me! Don't you dare touch me!" Dee hissed. "She was 'my' mother, you bastard! I had a right to know what had happened to her! I had a right to know before most of New York found out via the news! You son-of-a-bitch!"

"You're right, you did have that right and I am sorry for not telling you. It was a mistake on my part and I am sorry about it but it's not like I can go back in time and change things." Ryo was determined to hold his ground. He wasn't about to be intimidated by Dee's anger. "Let's just go home and we'll talk more, okay? I'll even ask Bikky to go over to Rai's or Cal's for the night so that we can have some privacy." Looking around the quaint bar that was decorated with antique signs and household items, Ryo noticed that the few patrons left, were beginning to stare at them and it was making him feel uncomfortable.

"What's the matter? You afraid that the people here will know just what sort of an asshole you really are? Is that why you want us to go home so badly?" Dee stretched out his arms and laughed. "God forbid if Mister Do-Good is discovered to be a real jerk and his rep is tarnished! It's just like you! Hell look how long it took for you to finally admit that you were gay? Look how long I had to wait until I was allowed to put my arm around you or touch you in public? You're a frigging coward, who doesn't have any damn balls! Well grow some, Ryo! Grow them before you make someone else suffer the way you're making me! You backstabbing hypocrite!"

"Dee! That's enough!" Dark eyes flared and Ryo found himself clenching his fists at his sides. "You're drunk so I will do my best not to get pissed off but I won't just stand here and listen to your bullshit either! If you choose to continue insulting me then I will fight back! I'll show you just what sort of balls I really do have! Got that?" Ryo hissed through clenched teeth as he fought against the urge to strike out against his lover. "It's best that we take this home and leave others out of our problems. This is none of their concern after all." Ryo once again reached for Dee but his lover just pushed his hand away.

"Go to hell! I have no intention of going home with you! Like I'd want to sleep with a bastard who deceives me? You're out of your fucking mind!" Dee staggered backwards and almost fell but managed to steady himself at the last moment. "If you want to fight, then I'll be happy to oblige because you deserve to have the shit knocked out of you for how you handled this!"

"Dee, please..." Hoping to calm his lover and keep things from escalating, Ryo tried to touch Dee's arm as a way to convey his feeling. Dee of course was having none of it and instead tried to take a swing at Ryo. Thankfully, in his drunken state, Dee's movements were sluggish and Ryo was able to easily duck the punch.

"Fuck you! I ain't going anywhere with you!" Dee's words slurred as he spoke and he staggered backwards a few steps before he stopped and simply stood there, swaying on his feet. "You go home! Better yet, why don't you stop at the adult store first and buy yourself a frigging dildo then you can go home and go fuck yourself!"

Ryo had had enough. "Fine! If you want to act like a child then so be it but I refuse to stand here and allow you to insult me any further!" Ryo knew that arguing with Dee while his lover was in his current condition was pointless and the best thing to do was to just walk away. He had to let Dee simmer down and he had to allow himself time to do the same. "I'm going home so you're free to do whatever you want! I'm willing to talk about this, but not if all you want to do is egg me into a fight. I refuse to step that low!"

"You've all ready stepped that low!" Dee hissed and then smirked when he saw Ryo turn to leave. "Oh yeah... Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"

Ryo stopped and looked back at Dee. "I am sorry about all of this Dee and I do love you, whether you want to believe me or not."

"Up yours!" Dee shouted and then headed off to the men's room but not before he shot Ryo the finger over his shoulder as he was walking away.

Ryo stood there for a moment, stunned by Dee's outburst even though he had half expected it. He just didn't expect it to get this bad though.

'_So much for talking..._'

"Hey Ryo, Alex and I will keep an eye on him so don't worry, okay?" John tried to reassure Ryo while holding onto Alex, who had been ready to jump over the bar and come to Ryo's aid after Dee took a swing at his friend. "We've got an extra room available upstairs, so Alex and I will convince Dee to stay here for the night. It's nothing fancy but it should do."

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it." Ryo gave them both a sad look. Until Dee calmed down, there was very little he could do for his lover.

'_If this breaks us up then I have no one to blame but myself. I should have told Dee everything but I didn't... This is all my fault now_.'

"I'm sure that by morning, once Dee has sobered up and all, he'll come to his senses and see just what a jerk he was." John then looked at Alex, who had finally calmed down enough for him to release his lover. "You gonna behave now or do I need to tie you to a chair?"

"I'll behave just as long as Dee doesn't lay a finger on Ryo. I'm not about to stand here while that hot head busts up our bar and hurts my friend! If you have a problem with that then tough shit!" Alex glared at John before he turned to look at Ryo. "Ryo, if you need someone to talk to just give John or I a call, alright? You know that if we're either here or at the apartment, so don't hesitate to call us."

"Thanks Alex but I've already imposed on you enough as it was. I don't want you two at odds with each other either." Glancing back toward the restrooms, Ryo appeared almost afraid of Dee coming out and starting something again.

"Relax Ryo." Alex walked over to the chestnut haired man and put an arm around his shoulders. "Knowing that baboon and how many beers Dee's had, he'll be in there for awhile." Alex watched as Ryo smiled a little. "I know this is hard to take and I wish like hell that Dee could see how much you're hurting too but try to hang in there, alright?"

"I know and I'll try, but I can't stop blaming myself for the pain he's going through right now. I fucked up, Alex. I should have told Dee so that he could deal with it all at once and I didn't do that. I didn't think about the consequences and I should have."

"Ryo, just give it time, alright?" John spoke up. "I grew up with Dee and I've seen him go off the deep end many times but he always manages to bounce back. He just needs to get it all out of his system first."

"I just hope that he 'is' able to bounce back from this, John. I've seen him upset before as well, but never like this. And he's never gotten this angry with me." Ryo could sense that he was close to losing it and knew that he had to leave before he did. "Just do me a favor and watch over him for me, because right now he won't allow me to." Ryo glanced one more time at the hallway leading to the bathrooms before he rushed out of the bar and into the cool night air.

Hurrying to his car, Ryo realized that for the first time since he and Dee had moved in together that he would be spending the night alone because of something other than shift schedules.

It was only after he made it to the safety of the apartment and his bedroom did Ryo finally allow himself to break down and cry.

'_I love him so much yet I have done the unthinkable... I have hurt the very one I vowed to never hurt. If Dee would decide to leave me, I have no right to stop him.'_

** To Be Continued**


	11. You Gotta Have Friends

**Title: ** Heaven Needed an Angel: Chapter Ten  
**Fandom: **FAKE  
**Author: **SeijiD  
**Disclaimer: **Fake is the creation of Sanami Matoh, therefore she owns them, not me.  
**Rating:** R (Just to be safe)  
**Pairing: **Dee x Ryo x Dee  
**Content: **Angst/ Character Death/ Language  
**Summary: **When someone close to Dee is viciously attacked and loses their hold on life, Dee loses his ability to cope.

**Heaven Needed an Angel  
****Chapter Ten  
**You Gotta Have Friends  
By SeijiD

X--X--X

Dee staggered out of the hallway after exiting the restroom, still angry with Ryo and himself over the earlier confrontation with his lover. As he headed for the bar his eyes swept over the almost empty place, to find that Ryo was nowhere to be seen. He felt only partially relieved over that fact since he had almost wished that Ryo would have stayed and tried to talk to him.

'_Like I can blame him for leaving. Shit what am I saying? He caused the whole thing! He should have told me dammit! Then again, I should have been more responsive to him and maybe he would have told me... Dammit, I need a frigging drink!_'

"Well hello there tall dark and handsome..." Dee stopped to gaze at the bleached blond man who had stepped in front of him and was now smiling. "Care to buy a lonely man a drink?"

"Sorry but the asshole bartender cut me off." Dee growled when he caught sight of John and Alex watching him. "I'm screwed unless you can convince those weenies that I ain't drunk and that they should serve me."

"I could try or we could always go somewhere else if you would like?" He replied and smiled even more. "By the way, I'm Joshua and you are...?"

"I'm Dee and I'm pleased to meet you, Joshua." Dee held out his hand only to have Joshua latch onto his arm. "You're a friendly one, aren't you? I could be some nutcase for all you know."

"So could I," Joshua smirked.

"Yeah, I guess you could be. They'll let almost anyone in here so who knows, right?" Dee didn't mind the casual flirting but he wasn't crazy over the way the blond was holding onto his arm and he gently pulled it away.

"I hope you don't mind me being so forward but I couldn't help but overhear your little argument and well I figured that you could use a drink and someone to talk to... That's if you wanted to talk." Joshua pointed to the table he had been sitting at and smiled. "Have a seat and I'll see about getting you reinstated for another round, alright?"

"Okay, that sounds like a fair deal." Dee chuckled and was about to sit down when he felt a tug on his arm. Turning, Dee found John glaring at him. "What do you want?"

"To save you from making a complete ass of yourself. Let's go Romeo. I have a room upstairs with your name on it." John started pulling Dee away as he glared over at the blond Dee had been talking to. "Sorry, but this one is taken. He's got a good man at home and I won't allow him to fuck it up."

The blond arched an eyebrow and glared back at John. "Sounds to me like they aren't as tight as you might think. If they would be, then why is he going upstairs with you?"

"To sleep it off and come to his frigging senses!" John yanked Dee further away from the blond. "Go find your own piece and not someone else's." With that, John started pulling Dee toward the back of the bar and to the exit.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? I was just going to have a drink with the guy, not fuck him!" Dee pulled his arm free and staggered backwards. "You ain't my babysitter so bug the hell off!"

"A, you're drunk. B, since you can't seem to act like an adult I guess I 'am' your babysitter... for tonight anyway. C, that dude is bad news. Alex and I were both getting bad vibes from him. We're sure we've seen him before, picking up anything that breathes." John was doing everything he could not to lose it and just haul off and slug Dee for being such a jerk.

"Gee, should I arrest him for prostitution or for simply wanting to get laid?" Dee snickered.

"Don't get cocky with me, Latener! Now, this is what's going to happen, so listen up!" John pushed Dee toward the exit. "I'm taking you upstairs and to bed so you can sleep it off. Got that?"

"Is Alex going to join us or just watch?" Dee laughed until he glanced back and saw the anger in John's light gray eyes.

"I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that, ass wipe. I'm allowing you to stay here in hopes that after you sober up you'll see what a complete jerk you're being." Pushing Dee again, John was surprised when the dark brunette seemed to go willingly.

"If you're referring to the argument with Ryo, well then don't hold your breath, moron." Dee hissed as he glanced back over his shoulder at the taller man. "I had every right to be angry with the bastard, considering what he did, or should we say what he didn't do!"

"But did you have a right to treat him like trash? To put him down the way you did? No! That was uncalled for, Dee. I realize that you are upset and I can sympathize with you to a degree but that doesn't mean that I condone the way you treated the man you love. Ryo is hurting just as badly over all of this, only you're too blind with anger to see that." Stepping out into the cool air, the two walked over to another door that John unlocked. Holding the door open, he allowed Dee to enter first and the two men climbed the stairs. "Go to the third floor and down the hallway to the end."

"He should be upset! He lied to me! He kept information from me that I had a right to know about! Let the prick suffer!" Dee hissed and started up the stairs. "It smells like beer and piss in here!"

"Some idiot left the front door unlocked yesterday. I'm having the rugs in here cleaned this weekend, so shut up!" John sighed. "Do you know that Ryo is afraid that he might lose you because of all of this? Do you even care? He loves you dammit and he wants so badly to help you through all of this but all you do is push him away!"

"It's not my fault! Ryo knows how much I love The Penguin. He knows what she means to me and he knows that I should have been told everything! I should have been told by him, not some bitch on the rag doing the news! He screwed up, not me!" Dee got to the third floor and stopped to wait for John.

"He did it because he does love you, Dee. He knows what Mother means to you and didn't want to tarnish that image you had of her. Sure he should have told you before the media said anything, but shit happens, Dee. You never gave him a chance to explain himself. Instead you tried and sentenced him without hearing a thing he had to say." John and Dee headed down the dimly lit hallway and then stopped at the last door. "You've been so busy wallowing in self-pity that you haven't even noticed how much Mother's death has hurt Ryo. Not only that, he's had to deal with his own pain, your sorrow, this knowledge he's had and now your anger, all alone! He's been there for you but have you been there for him?"

John knew that he had hit a nerve with the detective when Dee's shoulder's suddenly slumped forward. '_Yeah you hadn't though of that, had you_?'

"Don't you dare! Don't make me the guilty one here! That was 'my' mother, not his!" Dee looked at his friend, his face red with anger.

"She was a mother to every child that came through that orphanage, Dee! We all feel her loss, not just you! How dare you think you had exclusive rights to her!" After opening the door to the room, John pushed Dee into it and then turned on the lights. "You've had people comforting you throughout all of this, be thankful about that. Ryo, on the other hand, has had no one to turn to! He wanted to turn to you but you wouldn't let him. He needed your comfort just as badly, you imbecile!"

Dee just snorted as he looked around the sparsely furnished room. "Damn, you need a new decorator. This place looks like some of slime ball motels we've raided."

"Shut the hell up!" John slapped his hand down onto the dresser beside him. "Here I am, trying to keep you from making a big mistake and possibly losing the best thing ever to come into your life and all you can do is hurl insults!"

"So, you're an authority on relationships now, are you?" Once again Dee smirked as he walked over to the bed and sat down.

"To be honest... No, I sucked at them until I met Alex. I did learn, however, that in order to make one last you need to give as much as you take. I also learned that communication goes a long way in working things out when there is a problem. Those are things you obviously haven't learned yet. Maybe you simply choose not to, who knows?" John stared at Dee as the detective kicked off his shoes and lay down.

"Are you going to nag me all night? Jesus, I could have gone home and had Ryo do that." Dee acted as though he were thoroughly bored with the current conversation and made sure that John knew it as well.

"I get the hint, Dee." John rolled his eyes. "You got the deluxe suite because this one has a bathroom. Just don't barf all over the floor. If you do, make sure you clean it up. Alex maintains these rooms and he's got enough to do without having to mother your pansy ass." John placed a set of keys on the dresser and sighed. "Do me a favor, stay put and don't go wandering off. Alex and I promised Ryo that we'd make sure you were okay and I don't want to worry him anymore than he already is."

"Yeah, yeah, Papa John. I hear ya." Dee rolled onto his side, putting his back to the taller man. "I want go to sleep now. That's if you don't mind?" The dark brunette waved his hand in the air as though he was dismissing his friend.

"Did you say your bedtime prayers?" John snickered and watched as Dee rolled onto his back and clasped his hands together.

"Dear God, de-ball John for me because he's so good at busting mine. Amen." Dee laughed as he slipped himself under the blankets. "Is that better?"

"Kiss my ass, Latener." John sneered and gave Dee the finger.

"Bite me!" Dee shot back and then laughed.

"No way! I don't know if you had your shots." John shook his head and made a face. "Do us all a favor, alright? Sober up and then grow up. Just try to do it before it's too late, Dee. If your stupidity causes you to lose Ryo you're going to regret it."

"Goodnight, daddy." Dee snickered as John shut out the lights. "Oh and for your information, Johnnie boy... There's not a whole lot I ever regret. Life goes on even when shit happens!"

"Go to sleep moron." John turned to leave, but not before giving Dee one final glance. "Sleep well, my friend."

Dee waited until John left and closed the door before he sat back up and switched on the light at the nightstand. Grabbing his cigarettes, he lit one up and sighed. "God, he and Alex are perfect for each other. They're both nags who love to henpeck people to death. Those two are worse than frigging hemorrhoids when it comes to being a pain in the ass. Maybe I should get them a very large tube of Preparation H for Christmas so they can fix that problem."

Dee sat back and smoked his cigarette. Once he was through, he lay back down and stared up at the ceiling. Since he couldn't trust anything people said at the moment, he realized that he would have to start looking into The Penguin's death on his own.

'_I'll find the bastard who took you away from me and I'll make him pay. I promise you._'

X--X--X

Alex looked up from his task of counting out the register, as John walked in and noticed the fatigued look in his lover's eyes. "I assume that idiot is upstairs and sleeping it off?" The auburn haired man asked and then frowned when he realized that he had just miscounted the money. "Damn!" He tossed the bills down onto the bar top.

"Yeah, he's up there. Hopefully he'll stay." John pulled out a barstool and sat next to his lover. "Need some help?"

"I hope you don't mind that I closed early but it was dead in here anyway." Alex sighed as he handed over the large stack of ones to his partner. "I'm just too stressed out to deal with customers anymore tonight."

"Not a problem, Baby." John put the bills down and then grabbed Alex's barstool to pull it closer. "When we get home, I'll draw you a warm bath, alright?" The brunette began to kiss his lover's neck. "I'm sorry you had to get in the middle of this, I know how much it bothers you to see two people you care about, fighting."

"Thanks." Alex's pale green eyes slid closed and he sighed. "What really pisses me off is the way Dee was flirting with that bleached blond whore. Ryo is ten times more man than that snot nose is! At least his hair coloring is natural and not from a frigging box!"

John pulled his head back and blinked at his lover. "Don't get angry with me and please don't make me take the couch tonight but... Darling, how do you know Ryo's hair coloring is natural?"

"John Stanley Thompson! How could you even insinuate that? My parents owned a Salon and Barber Shop, remember?" Alex opened his eyes to glare at his partner but found himself smiling when he saw the puppy dog eyes staring back at him. "Ryo never has any roots showing, Sweetheart. It's as simple as that. If it wasn't natural you'd see roots, no matter how diligent he may be at re-coloring."

"Oh... Okay. I didn't realize that." John looked down at his hand guiltily. "Sorry, I didn't mean it the way it sounded. Forgive me?" Gray eyes sparkled when he looked up.

"Yeah, I guess I can forgive you. Besides, you're too damn cute to stay angry at." Alex smiled and leaned in for a kiss. "How about a beer or something to help us relax?"

"Sounds good but make mine a mixed drink, okay?" John grinned as his eyes fell to his lover's ass when Alex stood and headed around the bar.

"Okay, what will it be then?" Grabbing two rock glasses, Alex sat them on the bar top. "I think I'm going for a Bulldog Highball." Alex grabbed the Gin and the orange juice.

"Make mine a Foghorn, please?" John watched as Alex took out the lime juice as well and then made the drinks, topping each off with some ginger ale and a stir stick before he placed coasters down and set the drinks on them. "Thank you love. How much do I owe you?"

John took a sip of his drink as Alex walked around and took his seat again. The auburn haired man grinned as he leaned closer to his lover. "The drink is on the house but you can always tip me if you'd like?"

"Now this is what I call friendly service." John chuckled and gave Alex a soft kiss. "I hope you won't get in trouble for giving out free drinks."

"It's not a problem. I'm part owner, plus my partner is a very giving man." Alex smiled and kissed John back.

"That's good. I think you're a very giving man too. Not to mention sexy, hot, incredibly good in the sack and..." John's words were cut off by another kiss.

"Finish your drink and let's get the hell out of here. I want to go home and make passionate love to my partner." Alex cooed against John's lips.

"Mmmm, so we're on the slow and sensual kick tonight huh?" John chuckled as he sipped his drink and watched his partner grin.

"Slow and sensual or fast and furious... It doesn't matter just as long as we're together, Baby." Lacing their fingers, Alex squeezed his lover's hand. "I love you, John."

"Love you too, sweetheart."

The two men finished their drinks and once they had double-checked everything, making sure all was shut down and cleaned up. Alex set the alarm before he joined his lover outside on the sidewalk. Sliding their arms around each other's waists, the two started down the street but stopped to glance up at the darkened third floor window where their friend slept.

"It'll all work out, you'll see." John gave Alex a tender squeeze.

"Yeah, you're right." Green eyes looked away for a moment.

'_I hope so anyway... For both Ryo and Dee's sake_.'

** To Be Continued**


End file.
